Zoe Kravitz reveals that she regrets the way she reacted to Will Smith's infamous slapping of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony. Amidst declining ratings, the recent Oscars show found itself once again the talk of the town earlier this year after a stunning, unscripted event. When Rock took to the Oscars stage and made a joke at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith's alopecia, Smith, who was sitting in the front row, stormed the stage and slapped the comedian. Smith was subsequently banned from the Oscars for 10 years and since issued several formal and informal apologies.
Immediately following the incident, celebrities and fans were quick to take sides, with many condemning the actor's actions while others supported the I Am Legend star. Kravitz, who had appeared as Catwoman in The Batman less than a month before the 2022 Oscars, took to social media to share a picture of her dress the night of the awards ceremony and criticize Smith for "assaulting" Rock on stage. Kravitz was subsequently criticized by Smith's fans for her reaction and, until now, the Catwoman actor hasn't spoken publicly about the Oscars' ordeal.
Related: What Will Smith's Oscars Ban Means: Can He Still Win Another Oscar?
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Kravitz opens up about her reaction to Smith's actions at the Oscars and reveals that she regrets her response. The actor explains that she now wants to more generally express herself through art instead of social media posts, saying that she has "complicated feelings" about the Oscars incident and her reaction. Ultimately, however, Kravitz makes clear that she would have liked to have handled things differently. Check out Kravitz's full comment below:
"I'm torn about what to say right now, because I'm supposed to just talk about it; I have very complicated feelings around it. I wish I had handled that differently. And that's OK."
Although Kravitz, in particular, seemed to become the subject of intense backlash from Smith's fans, she was far from the only actor to speak out against the Bad Boys for Life star for his actions. Mia Farrow, Judd Apatow, Sophia Bush, Howard Stern, and Kathy Griffin, among others, all criticized Smith for his reaction. Smith recently took to his YouTube channel to more directly address fans and viewers of the show who were disappointed with his behavior, offering a thoughtful apology and making it clear that he knows his response to Rock's joke was completely unacceptable.
Kravitz's recent comments suggest that she's mostly interested in pouring her energy into her art at the moment, which includes her upcoming directorial debut, Pussy Island. The star's take on Catwoman was also well-liked by fans but, as was recently reported, The Batman 2 is not yet officially confirmed, meaning it's unclear if or when Kravitz will return to the role. Now several months removed from the 2022 Oscars, it would seem that Kravitz, in addition to Smith, Rock, and others who made their thoughts known, has now had plenty of time to reflect on the events of that night and chart a course forward.
Source: The Wall Street Journal