Getty Will Smith
The phrase “Will Smith mental hospital” was trending on Google on April 9, 2022. So what gives? Is Will Smith in a mental hospital?
The story is unverified. Heavy has traced it to a completely unsourced claim in the Sun, which is a British tabloid.
What is verified is that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences banned Smith from attending the Academy Awards or other Academy-sanctioned events for 10 years because he slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.
“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement on Friday, April 8, 2022, to CNN.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Sun’s Story Is Attributed to a ‘Hollywood Insider’ Who Is Not Named
GettyWill Smith (R) slaps Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022.
The mental hospital story was picked up by other sites like Black Sports Online, but they trace back to the story in The Sun. No credible media have reported this story as fact.
Some of the stories attributed the claims to The Sun but did not even link to the underlying article. You can find the original story here. It ran on April 2, 2022.
The Sun’s headline reads, “CHILL SMITH Will Smith to lie low at plush celeb retreat as Chris Rock puts on brave face after Oscars slap.”
The story contains no named sources on the question and never uses the phrase “mental hospital.” Instead, it quotes an unnamed “Hollywood Insider” as saying, “The impact of the backlash has hit Will hard, so he will be getting help on dealing with stress. This is unquestionably the battle of his career. It will be a high-end retreat used by the rich and famous and he will be doing a lot of soul searching and working out how he can move forward.”
Without further verification, the Will Smith mental hospital story should be taken with a grain of salt and not considered verified fact.
Smith Has Not Commented on the Mental Hospital Rumors But Did Condemn ‘Violence in all Its Forms’
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Will Smith has made no official statement confirming or denying the story that he is in a mental hospital. His most recent Instagram post came a week before that story, and it reads:
Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
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.
I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.
I am a work in progress.
Sincerely,
Will
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