Will Smith Describes Himself As A 'Coward' In Newly Released Interview

Actor Will Smith is opening up about his past.

On Friday, season 4 of “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman” hit Netflix. In the second episode, the “King Richard” actor takes a seat on the couch.

In the candid interview, he talks about his life and career. At one point in the interview, he talks about his mother, Caroline Bright. It should be noted that the interview was recorded prior to the infamous Oscars slap back in March, where Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a joke about his wife.

In the interview with Letterman, which was transcribed by the New York Post, the “Men In Black” actor was asked about his mother.

“Don’t say nothin’ ‘bout my mother, Dave,” Smith says jokingly as he provides more information about the details that he shared about his childhood in his memoir, “Will.”

“The first line of the first chapter is, ‘I’ve always thought of myself as a coward,'” Smith explained. “When I was 9 years old, I saw my father beat up my mother, and I didn’t do anything. And that just left a traumatic impression of myself as a coward.”

“Life is so exciting to me right now, because I can reach people differently than I’ve ever been able to reach people, largely because of my pain,” he continued. “I’m really ready to dive into my art in a way that I think will be hopefully fulfilling for me and helpful for the human family.”

The “Independence Day” actor also talked about boxing and the importance of defending his family. He said that he realized a point in his life when the “material world is completely, utterly, and totally incapable of sustaining our happiness.”

“Beyond the essentials of protecting yourself and your family,” Letterman interrupted.

“You can’t protect your family, right?” Smith asked. “That’s not real. Protection and safety are an illusion. You have to learn to live with the reality that any moment, anything can be gone in one second.”

Smith explained, “So with that reality, how can you be here? And how can you be joyful and be here?”

The recently released interview brought up a lot of questions about Smith’s life, especially after an Instagram Live went viral that showed Smith’s wife, JadaPinkettSmith, seemingly mocking him after he asks not to be filmed.

In the 2019 clip, Jada mentions that therapist Esther Perel will be coming to their Facebook “Red Table Talk.” She then asks the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” actor, “Would you say she has been instrumental in you and I redefining our relationship?”

“I would say, don’t just start filming me without asking me,” an uncomfortable Will replies.

“Esther, come help us, please, I’m still dealing with foolishness,” Jada says as she turns the camera back to herself.

“Don’t. Don’t just…” Will responds. “My social media presence is my bread and butter. So you can’t just use me for social media. Don’t just start rolling… I’m standing in my house. Don’t start rolling.”

Jada ends the video by saying, “Please watch Esther at the Red Table because she’s helped us a lot. Can’t you tell?”

Many users were disturbed by the video. “I cannot imagine the unrelenting, never-ending torture of having to live with that woman…day and night, always on edge, never knowing when she’s going to do/say something else to hurt you,” one user wrote. “He looks so sad and empty. This video reeks of abuse.”

“So this third party she's referring to has ‘helped them redefine their relationship’ and yet when Will asks for consent/makes a boundary Jada tramples it and says this third party needs to come back and help her deal with Will's ‘foolishness,” another noted. “This is called Triangulation and is a tactic of abuse.”

“Literally gaslighting him too,” another user pointed out. “He politely requests not to be filmed - calls him foolish for it. Demands answers and forces her views and questions on him when he's made the boundary clear. Then undermines him and the relationship because of it.”