Will Smith should be forgiven for Oscar slap, says tennis star Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams has said Hollywood star Will Smith should be forgiven for the ‘mistake’ of slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars last year. The 41-year-old tennis legend referred to the infamous moment when the King Richard star hit the comedian Chris Rock after he joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith at the Academy Awards last year. Serena is adamant that the actor should be given the chance to atone for his ‘mistake’.

Serena, whose rise to the top of the sporting world was documented in the film, regretted how the slap overshadowed Will’s Oscar triumph and that of Summer of Soul, which won the Best Documentary Feature Award directly after the shocking incident. She shared, “I thought it was such an incredible film… I’ve been under a lot of pressure and made many mistakes… But that’s not the end of the world.’”

Smith was banned from the Oscars for 10 years as a result of the slap, but the 23-time Grand Slam winner said he deserves the opportunity to redeem himself. Serena said: “We’re all imperfect and we’re all human and let’s just be kind to each other.” — IANS