Will Smith Opens Up About the Oscars Slap—and Why It Drove Him Back to Music After 20 Years

Three years after the shocking moment that brought the Oscars to a standstill and made headlines across the globe, Will Smith is finally speaking out—not with an apology press tour, but through something far more personal: music.

In a deeply reflective interview, Smith addressed the infamous 2022 Academy Awards incident in which he walked on stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The incident triggered an avalanche of public backlash, a 10-year Oscars ban, and a painful reevaluation of his identity, his career, and his place in pop culture.

Now, for the first time since the moment that shifted his life, Smith says he’s ready to face the world again—but this time, through the creative process that once launched his stardom: making music.

“I Needed to Heal. And Music Was the Only Way I Knew How.”

Smith hasn’t released a full studio album since 2005’s Lost and Found, and for the better part of two decades, he focused on film, philanthropy, and building a public image as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. But after the slap—an impulsive act he now refers to as “a spiritual collapse”—he found himself stripped of that identity.

“It was brutal,” Smith admitted. “When you mess up in front of your family or your friends, that’s one thing. But when you mess up in front of the entire planet, it hits different. It changes you.”

Smith described going through a period of isolation, introspection, and even depression. “There were days I didn’t recognize myself,” he said. “And there were days I didn’t want to be seen at all.”

In that space of emotional turmoil, he turned back to the one outlet that had always helped him navigate the complexities of fame and personal struggle—music.

“Music was the place I used to go when I needed to figure things out. And after the Oscars, I needed to figure everything out.”

The New Album: Not a Comeback—A Confession

Smith confirmed that he has been working on an entirely new music project—his first in nearly 20 years. But he’s quick to clarify: this is not a traditional return to pop charts or rap stardom.

“This isn’t Big Willie Style 2,” he laughed, referencing his 1997 solo debut. “This is more like… therapy. These tracks are my diary. It’s not about the club. It’s not about radio. It’s about being real.”

According to sources close to the project, the album will feature tracks that directly reference the Oscars incident, his relationship with public image, his struggles with guilt, and what he calls “the hard truth about being human in the spotlight.”

One unreleased track, tentatively titled “Face the Mirror,” reportedly contains the lyrics:
“The world cheered, the world booed / But the loudest voice was in my own head / I thought I was a king, turns out I was a man / Bleeding behind a crown I didn’t understand.”

The Oscars Slap: A Turning Point, Not the End

For Smith, the Oscars slap wasn’t just a personal mistake—it was a turning point. “I had to realize I was trying to hold everything together that was never meant to be held like that,” he said. “The fame, the pressure, the image—it became a performance. I stopped being Will and started being ‘Will Smith.’ That night? That was the crack in the mask.”

After the event, Smith says he spent months disconnected from Hollywood, reading philosophy, going to therapy, and repairing his relationship with his family—especially his children, who he says were “quietly disappointed but deeply supportive.”

And Chris Rock?

“We haven’t spoken directly,” Smith admitted. “But I hope someday we will. I respect him. I was wrong. And I’m still trying to figure out what accountability means in real life—not just in headlines.”

Fans React: “This Is the Will We Needed to Hear From”

As word spreads that Smith is making music again, fans have responded with a mixture of surprise, excitement, and reflection. Social media has exploded with discussions not just about the slap, but about redemption, vulnerability, and what it means to grow after a public fall.

“I don’t want perfect from my heroes anymore,” one fan tweeted. “I want real. And Will Smith being real? That’s powerful.”

Even some industry figures, including Questlove and Pharrell, have voiced support for the new music, hinting they may be involved in the project behind the scenes.

What Comes Next: From Pain to Purpose

Will Smith is under no illusion that a few songs will erase what happened. But for him, that’s not the point.

“This isn’t a comeback,” he repeated. “This is me trying to be whole again. If people listen, great. If they don’t—that’s okay. This one’s for me.”

He hinted that the album might drop later this year, potentially alongside a short film or visual project to help bring the emotional story to life.

“I’m not done growing,” he said. “And if sharing this growth helps somebody else get through their own mess—then maybe the slap wasn’t the end of something. Maybe it was the beginning.”