Will Smith hallucinated about losing career on drug trip just before Oscars slap
24 May 2022, 12:45
Watch the full confrontation between Will Smith and Chris Rock live on the Oscars stage after gag about Jada Pinkett Smith
The 53-year-old actor told David Letterman that whilst high from drinking ayahuasca, he had a vision he lost his family, his money and career, adding "my whole life was getting destroyed"
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Will Smith has revealed that he once hallucinated on an ayahuasca drug trip that resulted in him having a vision about losing his career and fortune just before the Oscars slapping incident.
Will Smith travels to India for 'spiritual purposes' following Oscars slap
Speaking with David Letterman on his new Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the Bad Boys actor spoke about his experience with taking ayahuasca – a herbal drink that originated from South America that's brewed from plants that cause a psychedelic experience.
"I decided that it was something that, you know, I wanted to try" he told Letterman, explaining his high from the drink was like 'creating two realities that are both '100 percent present at the same time'.
"It's not superimposed over this reality. They're totally separate. You always fell like maybe it won't kick in this time. All of a sudden, it's like I star seeing seeing all of my money flying away" he added.
"My house is flying away. And my career is gone. And I'm trying to, like, grab for my money and my career. My whole life is getting destroyed". He confirmed to Letterman that the vision is his 'biggest fear in real life'.
He also revealed that in his vision, his daughter Willow called out to him in 'anguished cries' saying "Daddy, help me! Daddy! How come you won't help me?".
He claims in the dream, he shouts back "I don't see" before the shaman told him to relax, patting him on the back and sitting him up. "Then slowly, I stopped caring about my money, I just wanted to get to Willow" he added. '" stopped caring about my house, about my career".
Watch slow-motion clip of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars
"I still hear Willow screaming. My money is still flying away, but I'm going — and I'm totally calm, even though there's hell going on in my mind. When I came out of it, I realized that anything that happens in my life, I can handle it" he continued.
"I can handle any person that I lose, I can handle anything that goes wrong in my life, I can handle anything in my marriage. I can handle anything that his life has to offer me. First of all, 99 percent of the s*** you worry about never happens, adding that the vast majority of 'your pain and your misery is all self-generated — it's not real".
During the 2022 Academy Awards, Will slapped comedian Chris Rock in the face during the live airing of the show after he joked about Jada's hair loss on stage whilst presenting the award for Best Documentary saying "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya".
The 53-year-old actor then walked onstage, slapped him in the face before returning to his seat yelling "keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth" twice.
After the slapping incident, Smith released his first statement apologising to Rock for his behaviour saying:
"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" the statement continues.
"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".
