Willow Smith spoke about the infamous incident between her father, actor Will Smith, and comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars.
Willow told Billboard that she sees her “whole family as being human” and accepts them for who they are.
“I see my whole family as being human, and I love and accept them for all their humanness,” she said. “Because of the position that we’re in, our humanness sometimes isn’t accepted, and we’re expected to act in a way that isn’t conducive to a healthy human life and isn’t conducive to being honest.”
Willow said that the incident hasn’t derailed her creativity or affected her “as much as my own internal demons,” Billboard reports.
With @OfficialWillow‘s most adventurous album yet, child stardom is firmly in her rearview — and she’s setting a new model for what career longevity looks like.https://t.co/3j9EljgU3X
— billboard (@billboard) August 5, 2022
This is the first time Willow spoke directly about the incident after being seen at her father’s side during the Vanity Fair Oscars 2022 after-party. However, it is believed that the singer posted two cryptic tweets in response to the incident.
“The meaning of life is found in challenge,” she tweeted days after the show.
The meaning of life is found in challenge
— WILLOW (@OfficialWillow) April 2, 2022
A second tweet observed Willow’s reflection on life as a series of reactions.
“Life is a series of reactions,” she tweeted.
Life is a series of reactions
— WILLOW (@OfficialWillow) April 2, 2022
Last month, Will, broke his silence with a six-minute-long video regarding the incident and expressing his regret for slapping Rock during the nationally broadcast movie awards show.
“There is no part of me that thinks that was the optimal way to handle feelings of disrespect or insults,” Will said. “I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
The actor apologized directly to his family for “the heat that I brought on all of us” and clarified that his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, had no role in his decision.
“I made a choice on my own, from my own experiences and my history with Chris,” Will said.
Rock has reportedly moved on and doesn’t wish to talk to Will.