Hollywood actor Will Smith won the ‘best actor award’ for his 2021 movie ‘King Richard’ at the 94th Academy Awards. The movie is a biographical sports film, which is based on the life of tennis star Serena William’s father Richard William.
While accepting the coveted award, the actor made a heartfelt speech and broke down into tears. He said, “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world.”
“…I’m being called on in my life to love people. And to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know, to do what we do, we got to be able to take abuse. You gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you and you gotta smile and pretend like that’s OK,” he added.
Here’s Will Smith’s tearful acceptance speech at the #Oscars. https://t.co/ulvT7fsB57 pic.twitter.com/Uq2krBbBld
— Variety (@Variety) March 28, 2022
Will Smith also thanked the Williams family, including tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams, for trusting him with the biographical sports drama. He also apologised to the Academy for a brief physical altercation with comedian Chris Rock.
He emphasised, “I want to be an ambassador of that kind of love and care. I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award.”
“It’s not about winning an award for me, it’s about being able to shine a lot on all the people…Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams! But, love will make you do crazy things,” he concluded his acceptance speech.
Will Smith punches comedian Chris Rock
The acclaimed actor had punched stand-up comedian Chris Rock for making fun of his wife Jada Pinkett’s appearance during the 94th Academy Awards. While on stage to present the best documentary award, Chris Rock said, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you.”
The comment upset Smith so much so that he rushed on to the stage to physically punch the comedian. After returning to his seat, the ‘King Richard’ star yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out your f**king mouth.”
Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett was seen sporting an emerald green gown at the Oscars. Although it remains unclear whether the ‘assault’ was in jest, a Twitter user (@Rocio2026) pointed out that Pinkett has been suffering from an autoimmune disease, leading to loss of hair.
“This joke is of bad taste,” she pointed out. In 2021, Pinkett had opened up about alopecia, an autoimmune disease that leads to the loss of hair in clumps. Last year, she also posted a picture on Instagram with a shaved head after being inspired to speak out about her hair-loss journey.
Another Twitter user explained the connection between the 1997 movie ‘GI Jane’ and comedian Chris Rock’s comment. The lead character in the movie, Demi Moore, played the role of ‘bald-headed Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil.
Although there has not been a sequel to the movie, the comedian suggested that a ‘bald’ Jada Pinkett can feature in ‘GI Jane Part 2’. Given that the hair loss of Jada Pinkett is due to the autoimmune disease of Alopecia, many social media users found Rock’s remarks as ‘insensitive.’
