Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor defends Will Smith regarding 2022 Oscars incident

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred alongside Will Smith in the film ‘King Richard’, has expressed her support for the actor following his 2022 Oscars incident involving Chris Rock. Speaking on The Daily Beast’s ‘Obsessed’ podcast, Ellis-Taylor stated that she understands Smith’s reaction to the joke made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, noting, “I know that he wanted to protect his wife.”

Ellis-Taylor also offered a critique regarding the application of First Amendment rights, suggesting that such protections should not necessarily extend to those causing harm or acting as “assholes.” She argued that the concept of free speech requires nuance and should not be used as an excuse to cause harm.

The incident, which occurred shortly before Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor, resulted in a 10-year ban from Academy events. Smith has since issued a formal apology, describing his actions as “unacceptable” and “inexcusable.”