The Batman Star Zoe Kravitz Regrets Calling Out Will Smith’s Oscars Slap

In the minutes, hours, and days following Will Smith’s on-stage slapping of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, nearly every celebrity in Hollywood had sounded off on what occurred. Among those who spoke out was The Batman star Zoe Kravitz, who posted an image of her gown from the event with the caption “here’s a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now.” An additional post followed where she included a photo of her outfit from the traditional post-Oscars party which was captioned, “and here is a picture of my dress at the party after the award show where we are apparently screaming and profanities and assaulting people on stage now.” Months later though, Kravitz reveals she wishes she hadn’t said that.

Speaking in a new interview with The Wall Street Journal (H/T Too Fab), Kravitz reflected on the posts she made (and later deleted) along with the near instant backlash it caused from some corner of the internet “It’s a scary time to have an opinion or to say the wrong thing or to make controversial art or statements or thoughts or anything,” the actress said. “It’s mostly scary because art is about conversation. That should, in my opinion, always be the point. The internet is the opposite of conversation. The internet is people putting things out and not taking anything in.”

She continued, “I’m torn about what to say right now, because I’m supposed to just talk about it; I have very complicated feelings around it…I wish I had handled that differently. And that’s OK.” Kravitz noted that she believes she doesn’t want to express herself anymore through something as mundane as a tweet or a photo caption, instead expressing herself “through art.”

In the six months since “The Slap” occurred the event still manages to make headlines. Smith himself recently released an extended apology video, speaking to all parties involved and addressing Rock specifically. The Academy handed out a harsh sentence to the Best Actor Winner, banning him for ten years from attending the ceremony (though not from being nominated). Smith also resigned from The Academy in the wake of the controversy.

“It’s all fuzzy. I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is he is not ready to talk,” Smith said in his recent video apology. “And when he is, he will reach out. So, I will say to you Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”