Will Smith Wins Best Actor at BET Awards After Oscars Slap
Will Smith took home the award for Best Actor this Sunday at the BET Awards.
He was recognized for his leading role in King Richard, with the film also taking home the Best Movie prize. In the film, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Smith plays Richard Williams, the father and longtime manager of tennis pros Venus and Serena Williams.
With his Best Actor win, Smith beat Adrian Holmes (Bel-Air), Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Damson Idris (Snowfall), Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth), Forest Whitaker (Respect and Godfather of Harlem), Jabari Banks (Bel-Air), and Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us).
Smith did not make an appearance at the show to accept the award. He has been keeping a low profile since the Oscars—which took place in March—where he slapped presenter Chris Rock onstage because of a joke he made about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's alopecia.
Smith apologized for his actions in various statements, including an Instagram post following the ceremony.
"My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable," he wrote at the time. "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
Rock declined to press charges against Smith, but still, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences decided to ban the actor from all events for the next 10 years.
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