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Actor Will Smith’s success at the 94th Oscars was largely overshadowed by his behavior earlier in the ceremony, when he slapped comedian Chris Rock over a joke about Smith’s wife’s hair. In a new interview, Smith says that bottled up rage led to that moment. \n <\/p>\n
Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
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Actor Will Smith’s success at the 94th Oscars was largely overshadowed by his behavior earlier in the ceremony, when he slapped comedian Chris Rock over a joke about Smith’s wife’s hair. In a new interview, Smith says that bottled up rage led to that moment.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
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Will Smith revisited his infamous Oscar night for the first time in his first major TV interview since slapping Chris Rock onstage last March. <\/p>\n
Speaking to Trevor Noah on the Daily Show<\/em> on Monday night, Smith described how he “just lost it” over Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife’s hair. <\/p>\n“That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time,” he said, prefacing his comments by saying his emotions didn’t justify his behavior. <\/p>\n
“I guess what I would say is you just never know what someone is going through. I was going through something that night. … It’s like when they say ‘Hurt people hurt people,’ you know?” <\/p>\n
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Smith said his biggest challenge over the past eight months has been learning to forgive himself “for being human.” <\/p>\n
“I had to humble down and realize that I’m a flawed human and I still have an opportunity to go out in the world and contribute in a way that fills my heart and hopefully helps other people,” he said. <\/p>\n
Throughout the 20-minute interview, Noah spoke nearly as much as Smith, offering absolution and affection as a teary-eyed Smith along. <\/p>\n\n<\/aside>\n“You are one of those rare breeds of people who’ve spent more time in the spotlight than out of it,” Noah said. <\/p>\n
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The moment that actor Will Smith (right) slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage has continued to divide the national discourse over celebrity behavior. \n <\/p>\n
Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
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The moment that actor Will Smith (right) slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage has continued to divide the national discourse over celebrity behavior.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Robyn Beck\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
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“I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I don’t want that to define you. I don’t think it should define you. I don’t think that any one of us in life deserves to be defined by our one f**k-up.” <\/p>\n
Smith was on the show to promote the new movie Emancipation<\/em>a dark historical drama in which Smith stars as a runaway slave.<\/p>\nThe film’s director Antoine Fuqua has repeatedly defended Apple’s decision to release Emancipation<\/em> This December, even as the Smith slap still dominates the Hollywood discourse. <\/p>\n\n
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Speaking on a morning talk show earlier this week, Smith said he’d understand if audiences choose to skip seeing the movie to boycott his behavior. <\/p>\n
“I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready,” Smith told journalist Kevin McCarthy on Good Day DC<\/em>. <\/p>\n“My deepest concern is my team. … The people on this team have done some of the best work of their entire careers, and my deepest hope is that my actions don’t penalize my team. At this point, that’s what I ‘m working for.”<\/p>\n
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