2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Will Smith Fans React to His Apology: Is It Too Little Too Late?

Home / Stars / Will Smith Fans React to His Apology: Is It Too Little Too Late?

By Kristin Myers on July 29, 2022 at 12:35 PM EDT
Updated on July 29, 2022 at 12:38 PM EDT

On Friday morning, Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock for slapping him at the Oscars back in March.

Although a lot of fans are tired of the drama, the Best Actor Oscar winner posted a five-minute apology video to his Instagram page apologizing to Rock, Rock's family, his own family, his fellow nominees, and his fans.

He addressed his fans and the people he disappointed directly by the incident, saying, "I know it was confusing, I know it was shocking, but I promise you, I am deeply devoted and committed to putting light and love and joy into the world and, you know, if you hang on, I promise we’ll be able to be friends again."

But what do fans think of his apology video? Are they accepting his apology? Or do some fans feel that it's too little too late?

Article continues below advertisement

Will Smith Fans Think His Apology Was 'Incredibly Genuine'

One fan wrote, "Will Smith has been and continues to be so vulnerable and transparent about his own work and healing journey. And it all seems incredibly genuine. May his work be fruitful."

Article continues below advertisement
Article continues below advertisement

However, it's worth noting that some people applauded Smith for standing up for his wife and didn't need to apologize to begin with. "Will Smith did nothing wrong in my eyes," one fan wrote. "The apology was cute. Back to Beyoncé." It's interesting that the "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" chose Friday to release his apology video, considering it coincided with the release date of Beyoncé's latest album.

Article continues below advertisement
Article continues below advertisement

"Will Smith being compelled to apologize to Chris Rock, while the very idea of Chris Rock apologizing to Jada would likely get you laughed out of most rooms... Humanity is funny lol," another user pointed out.

Will Smith Made It Clear That He Did NOT Slap Chris Rock Because Of Jada

In the video, one of the questions Smith answered was, “After Jada rolled her eyes, did she tell you to do something?”

“No,” Smith replied. He said he made a choice on his own, from his own experiences and his history with Chris. He said “Jada had nothing to do with it” and apologized to her, his kids, and his family for “the heat I’ve brought on all of us.”

"My favorite part of Will Smith's apology is him making it CLEAR that Jada never told him to do anything to Chris after his joke," one fan wrote. "So many people built a following off of blaming Jada and spewing hatred at her for what Will did."

Article continues below advertisement

Another person seemed eager to forgive Smith and recognize that he made a mistake in the heat of the moment. "When you hurt someone, it’s easy to feel down on yourself," they wrote. "Be remorseful, but DO NOT lose sight of who you are as a person. Recognize the positive impact you’ve had on others and understand that good people aren’t infallible. Salute to Will Smith."

Article continues below advertisement

Hold the Apology... We Got To Listen To Beyoncé!

"The apology was classy," another user wrote. "Over the top but he know what ppl want from him and he’s a people pleaser. I would’ve gotten on YouTube and told everybody to eat a d---. But that’s why I’ll never be Will Smith."

Article continues below advertisement

However, many, many, MANY fans told Will that he couldn't have chosen a worse day to drop his apology. As one user tweeted, "will smith not now … it’s a beyoncé album out ‼️"

Article continues below advertisement

The full five-minute Will Smith apology video can be seen above.

Article continues below advertisement