Six months later, the world is still talking about the infamous Oscars slap. Now, an early critic close to the Smith family is changing her tune on what transpired. Here’s what Vivica A. Fox has said about her old friends’ recent controversies.
Vivica A. Fox Once Called Jada Pinkett ‘Self-Righteous’
On March 27, 2022, Will Smith stormed the Oscars stage to slap Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett’s hair, or rather, the lack thereof. After that, Smith’s reputation went up in flames. As one of Hollywood’s most popular and highest-paid actors to date, there was no avoiding talk of what transpired. Of course, the fact that Smith went on to win an Oscar that very night only accentuated the drama.
Smith and Pinkett took some time to meditate on what happened. They didn’t address it for what felt like ages. It wasn’t until June when Pinkett finally broke her silence. On an episode of her Facebook Watch show, Red Table Talk, Pinkett released a statement. “Now about Oscar night,” she began. “My deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have the opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile.”
As expected, reactions to the episode were a mixed bag. However, notably, a family friend criticized Pinkett’s stance. “I just wish we could have just a little more accountability and for it to not seem so self-righteous on Jada’s part, and that’s my feelings,” confessed Vivica A. Fox. Fox co-starred in Independence Day with Smith in 1996 and in Set it Off with Pinkett that same year.
In the same appearance, Fox seemingly accused Pinkett of avoiding taking responsibility. “Will Smith was defending her honor, that’s the reason he walked on stage and slapped because he felt like his wife had been offended, so for me to see no accountability as a partner.”
Vivica A. Fox Changes Her Tune
However, last week, Fox was asked for an update to her initial criticisms. Apparently, she hasn’t been in contact with the couple since she initially spoke out, but she’s softened a bit towards their predicament. “I think they’re just really going through a season of healing right now,” she says. “Listen, I love Will Smith. He’s one of my favorite people on the planet. We all make mistakes. If there’s one person that deserves a second chance, it is him. I think he’s taken full accountability for his actions and he apologized.”
She added that a future repeat of Smith’s actions should be avoided at all costs. “I just hope that we can all move forward from the incident and learned that it must never happen again, especially on that magnitude of a stage,” she emphasized. Honestly, we couldn’t agree more. At this point, it seems like everyone involved just wants to move on.
