Ten years ago, Will Smith was on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie Men In Black III. While walking down the red carpet, Smith—as one of the stars of the movie—stopped to chat with reporters who lined the red carpet.
The video shows his Smith initially talking to the reporter who then goes in for a hug after the finished the interview. Smith obliges by hugging the journalist back.
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However, the journalist takes it a step too far when he tried to kiss Smith without consent. This obviously irritated Smith who pushed the journalist away before slapping him in the face.
As it turns out, the man was not a journalist but a self-proclaimed prankster, known as Vitalii Sediuk, LAD Bible reports. And that was far from the last time Sediuk pulled that stunt.
According to LAD Bible, Sediuk attempted to kiss Brad Pitt without his consent, crawled under America Fererra’s gown without her consent, grabbed Bradley Cooper around the legs, and even put his face into Leonardo DiCaprio’s groin without his consent. Pitt has a restraining order against Sediuk.
Another Video of Will Smith Slapping Someone Has Surfaced…But Should It Be Compared?
Other articles have compared this particular slap to the slap that occurred between Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars. Sediuk has also compared the slap he received for Smith to the slap at the Oscars saying, “Will Smith practiced on me first, only to perform his slap at the Oscars.”
However, the slaps are far from the same.
Will Smith has since publicly apologized to Chris Rock for slapping him while he presented an Academy Award after he made a G.I. Jane joke toward Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada has been suffering from alopecia since 2018 and has been rocking a shaved head as a result.
Since his actions took place, Smith took to Instagram to apologize to Chris Rock directly, saying that “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable.”
“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,” Will Smith continued.
Chris Rock is still processing the moment and has yet to release a statement.