Will Smith reflects on his transformation after the infamous Oscars slap

In a candid conversation on BBC's "1Xtra" with host Remi Burgz, Will Smith opened up about the profound transformation he has undergone since the infamous incident at the 2022 Oscars, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock.

Smith described the introspective journey as “brutal but beautiful” or “brutiful”, ultimately leading to a new era of creativity and self-awareness.

Reflecting on the shocking moment, which was televised worldwide, the actor acknowledged that it forced him to take a “big, strong, honest look at myself".

In the aftermath of the incident, which occurred after Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, Smith decided to take a step back and engage in deep self-reflection.

“After the Oscars I, like, shut it down for a minute and really went into the internal work,” he explained during the interview. 

"All of a sudden, it was like there was a manhole cover over some unexplored areas, and like the manhole cover came off, and it was scary for a minute ... Then all of a sudden all of these new thoughts, new energies and new creativity came through. So, I feel like I’m brand new."

He continued: "I feel like the greatest creative period of my life will be in the next, you know, five to 10 years."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences described Smith's behaviour as “unacceptable and harmful”, subsequently issuing a 10-year ban on his attendance at the prestigious awards ceremony.

Nevertheless, the actor appears to have channelled the turmoil into his artistry, marking his return to music with a new album, "Based On A True Story", which also touches on the Oscars incident.

In addition to addressing his personal growth, the "Bad Boys" actor made headlines recently for his admissions regarding missed opportunities in his acting career. During an interview, he revealed he turned down the lead roles in both "The Matrix" and Christopher Nolan’s "Inception". 

He said he "regretted" turning down the opportunity.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said it publicly before, but I am going to say it now ... Chris Nolan brought me 'Inception' first and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities they don’t pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too … It hurts too bad to talk about," said Smith.