Will Smith apologized to comedian Chris Rock on Monday evening for slapping him during Sunday night’s Oscars telecast after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which administers the awards, denounced his actions and opened an inquiry into the incident.
Smith, who had pointedly not apologized to Rock on Sunday night when he accepted the award for best actor, wrote on Instagram Monday evening that "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris.”
"I was out of line and I was wrong,” he said in the statement. "I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”