Will Smith Reflects on Oscars Ban, Gets Street Named in Philly
The 2022 Academy Awards were a wild ride for Will Smith—one moment, he was celebrating his big win for Best Actor in King Richard, and the next, he was making…
The 2022 Academy Awards were a wild ride for Will Smith—one moment, he was celebrating his big win for Best Actor in King Richard, and the next, he was making headlines for that unforgettable slap across Chris Rock’s face. The reason? A joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, that didn’t sit well with him.
The fallout was huge. Smith got hit with a 10-year ban from the Oscars (though he had the option to appeal). When the Associated Press caught up with him on Monday (March 24), he reflected on the past and shared his mindset moving forward.
“I am looking to be the best human I can possibly be, and I’m gonna take what I get with that,” he told the outlet.
Since then, Smith has stepped away from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has publicly apologized to Rock for the slap heard ‘round the world.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Smith wrote in 2022. “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”
As for Rock, he hasn’t been up for a conversation with Smith just yet, according to Variety, but he hasn’t ruled out hosting the Oscars again in the future.
Meanwhile, Smith is diving back into his first love—music. He’s making a major comeback with Based On a True Story, his first album in 20 years, dropping Friday (March 28). A European and U.K. tour is also in the works. Reflecting on his creative spark, he told Billboard in January:
“A well opened up inside of me, a well of understanding of art and pain … all kinds of things that I didn’t even know were in there. Then after the Oscars, that spiritual investigation continued and a whole world woke up inside that I didn’t even know was there.”
But that’s not all—Smith is getting some serious hometown love. The city of Philadelphia has officially renamed the intersection of North 59th Street and Lancaster Avenue to Will Smith Way. According to ABC 6, city officials passed the resolution on March 6 to honor the West Philly legend.
A special ceremony on Wednesday, attended by Smith himself, celebrated his career and contributions to the city. And if that wasn’t enough of a tribute, a massive mural of Smith now covers a building on the 4500 block of West Girard Avenue. So if you ever forget where the Fresh Prince is from, just remember: “West Philadelphia born and raised…
