Will slapped Chris onstage astatine the Oscars successful March aft the comic made a gag astir the actor's woman Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved caput portion presenting an grant (the histrion has publically spoken astir her alopecia diagnosis before). 

According to The Arizona Republic, Chris said the slap wounded and made a notation to Will's portrayal of Muhammad Ali in the 2001 movie Ali.

"He's bigger than me," Chris reportedly said. "The authorities of Nevada would not authorisation a combat betwixt maine and Will Smith."

Aside from briefly mentioning the slap successful his stand-up shows, Chris has said small publically astir the hit, which happened unrecorded during the Oscars telecast. As for Will, helium apologized to the Academy and to his chap nominees during his acceptance code after picking up the Best Actor Oscar for his show successful King Richard. He then apologized to Chris the adjacent time successful an Instagram post. 

In a July Instagram video successful which Will addressed fans' questions astir the incident, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum noted helium didn't apologize to Chris successful his code due to the fact that helium was "fogged retired by that point." However, helium reiterated helium was atrocious for what helium did.

"I've reached retired to Chris and the connection that came backmost is that he's not acceptable to speech and erstwhile helium is, helium volition scope out," Will, who has resigned from the Academy and has been banned from its events for the adjacent 10 years, said. "So I volition accidental to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behaviour was unacceptable. And I'm present whenever you're acceptable to talk."

Will besides noted "there is nary portion of maine that thinks that's the optimal mode to grip a feeling of disrespect oregon insults," adding that his woman "had thing to do" with his determination to face Chris onstage.

"I committedness you," helium told his fans, "I americium profoundly devoted and committed to putting airy and emotion and joyousness into the world."

As for Jada, she expressed successful a June occurrence of Red Table Talk that she hopes Will and Chris tin enactment things out.

"My deepest anticipation is that these 2 intelligent susceptible men person an accidental to heal, speech this out, and reconcile," she said. "With the authorities of the satellite today, we request them both—and we each really request 1 different much than ever. Until then, Will and I are continuing to bash what we person done for the past 28 years, and that's support figuring retired this happening called beingness together."