Will Smith Speaks Out About People Boycotting 'Emancipation' Film, Claims He Is 'Going Through Something' When Oscar Slap Happened

Will Smith spoke with Trevor Noah on 'The Daily Show' eight months after shocking millions by slapping Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars.

Smith appeared on the program to promote his upcoming Antoine Fuqua-directed Civil War drama 'Emancipation.' Smith plays a guy who escapes slavery and serves in the Union Army. The character is based on an actual person.

Will Smith Thinks He 'Penalized' His 'Emancipation' Team

Smith expressed concern about the impact his Oscar-related activities would have on the movie's popularity and that other people who worked on it would suffer as a result during a lengthy interview on Monday night.

Per NPR, Smith stated, "I understand how shocking that was for some people. That rage had been bottled for really long time."

On Monday night's episode of 'The Daily Show', Will Smith revealed how Chris Rock's joke about his wife's hair caused him to "just lost it." Learning to forgive himself "for being human," according to Smith, has been his hardest obstacle over the last eight months.

During the 20-minute conversation, Noah spoke almost as much as Will Smith did, delivering apologies and expressions of love while a sobered-up Smith nodded in accord. Even while the Smith slap continues to dominate the Hollywood conversation, the movie's director, Antoine Fuqua, has backed Apple's choice to release 'Emancipation' this December on numerous times.

This week, during an appearance on a morning talk program, Will Smith said he would understand if viewers decided not to watch the movie as a form of protest against his actions. On 'The Daily Show', he expressed a similar concern, stating he didn't want his behavior to "taint" the response to the movie.

According to Perth Now, Will Smith claims that the night he hit Chris Rock, he was "going through something." The 54-year-old actor pleaded with people to "be nice to each other," noting how he used his personal problem to make something difficult for "other people."

Smith Reveals Moment His Nephew Asked Him About the Oscar Slap

The actor made a reference to his own challenging upbringing and said that the way he was acting at the time was not who he "desires to be." He mentioned how the incident had an effect on his own family as well.

Smith elaborated on how he let people down by telling a story about his 9-year-old nephew's reaction to watching the slap on television. The Men in Black actor claimed he understood the outcry from fans and other celebs and blamed his decision to slap Chris Rock on "bottled up rage."

He reiterated, "Not who I want to be," and made the implication that there was more to the event than what was initially revealed. When they returned home from the Awards night, Smith also remembered his nine-year-old nephew Dom telling him about the incident.

The actor recalled the event: "We're sitting in my kitchen and he's on my lap clutching the Oscar and he's just like, 'Why did you strike that man, Uncle Will?'"

Will Smith began to cry, and he needed a tissue to wipe his eyes, as per Mirror.

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Will smith, Chris rock