The Sad Aftermath of Will Smith's Controversial Oscars Outburst

Will Smith is without a doubt one of the biggest and most popular actors of our time. From giving us a resounding performance in the hit TV show ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ to starring in blockbuster films such as ‘Men In Black’ and ‘Bad Boys’, Smith has without a doubt won the hearts of many fans and fellow celebrities alike. 

However, it all came crashing down literally overnight — after what was supposed to be a joyous celebration during the 2022 Academy Awards for the seasoned actor suddenly took a turn for the worse because of Smith’s surprising outburst aimed at comedian Chris Rock after a comedy bit involving Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her alopecia — a medical condition which causes hair loss. 

In front of the most prestigious actors and actresses to ever grace the silver screen and for the entire public to see — Smith delivered a slap heard around the world — a slap that would change Smith and his family’s life forever. Many fans are divided over whether Smith was justified in reacting in such a way to Rock’s comments towards his wife, but one thing is for sure — the aftermath of “the slap” is nothing but sad and disappointing, especially because Smith later won his first-ever Oscar for his feature role in ‘King Richard’.

Expectedly, consequences began to pile up for the actor. Shortly after resigning from the Academy, Smith was given a 10-year ban as well from the prestigious organization. Big-time companies such as Netflix and Sony are also putting their projects with Smith to a halt for the moment. 

‘Selma’ star David Oyelowo wrote an article for The Hollywood Reporter, remarking that Smith’s actions during the show are a threat to the ongoing movement for diversity and inclusivity, he wrote, “My fear is that this unfortunate incident, which has us all processing, will have a negative effect on the ongoing push for inclusion. There are those who, in a bid to make sure something of this nature never happens again, will operate through an unconscious — or conscious — bias. A bias that still governs so much of the decision-making in Hollywood.“ Let us all hope that Smith gets the help he needs and that such an incident can never happen again for the benefit of everyone involved.

By Neil Gregorio

Neil Gregorio is a graduating university student who writes as a hobby; when he is away from the keyboard, he spends his time watching Japanese animated shows and jamming out to his favorite rock music.

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