US actress Vivica A. Fox says that there was 'no accountability' on the part of Jada Pinkett Smith in her comments. Photo: AFP
Vivica A. Fox had some harsh words to say about Jada Pinkett Smith’s comments on the now-infamous Oscars slap.
On the episode of The Wendy Williams Show on June 2, guest co-hosts Fox and Carson Kressley discussed Pinkett Smith’s first public comments on the March 27 moment when her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.
“What did you think about that?” Kressley, 52, asked his co-host, who took a brief moment to respond.
“This is going to be difficult for me. These are my peers. I’ve done a movie with both of them, Set It Off with Jada and Independence Day with Will Smith, which absolutely changed my life,” the 57-year-old actress said.
“When I saw this video last night, it made me cry, I’ll be very honest with you guys,” Fox said, referring to comments made by Pinkett Smith on her Facebook Watch show Red Table Talk.
“I really felt to be a partner to Will Smith, whose career basically took a crumble that night,” Fox continued.
“We were all rooting for Will Smith that night – Oscar night – we wanted him to win. Will Smith that night as far as I was concerned was going to be crowned this generation’s Sidney Poitier, which is a huge honour.”
Smith took home a best actor award for his performance in King Richard shortly after the slap, but it was largely overshadowed by the shocking incident earlier.
Fox went on to say that there was “no accountability” on the part of Pinkett Smith in her comments on that show.
Fox concludes by saying that she hoped that the couple will accept more responsibility for what happened. Photo: AFP
“Will Smith was defending her honour, that’s the reason he walked on stage and slapped because he felt like his wife had been offended so for me to see no accountability as a partner,” Fox said.
“Also, let’s not forget, Chris Rock was assaulted. We cannot forget that, for basically telling a joke that I really felt wasn’t that bad.”
She also noted that the ceremony was “executive-produced by Will Packer, an African American man. This night was a night of African American and diversity for Brown and Black people (which) now will forever be scarred.”
The Set It Off star concluded by saying that she hoped that the couple will accept more responsibility for what happened.
“I have love for the Smiths. I know their children. I’ve watched them grow up,” Fox said. “I just wish we could have just a little more accountability and for it to not seem so self-righteous on Jada’s part and that’s my feelings.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
