For the first time since the 94th Academy Awards, Denzel Washington is speaking out about the Oscars Will Smith and Chris Rock incident. And what the Christian celebrity has to say is powerful!
In a moment that shocked everyone during the Oscars telecast 2022, Will Smith marched on stage to slap Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.
Some felt Chris Rock’s comment was relatively mild while others felt it was out of line because Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, a health condition causing hair loss. However, nearly all agree there is no excuse for Will Smith’s violent reaction.
In his tearful acceptance speech for the Academy Award for Best Actor, Will Smith recalled the wise words Denzel Washington shared with him following the slap.
“At your highest moment be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you,” Denzel cautioned.
His words echo the advice found in Scripture, in 1 Peter 5:8:
And now, Denzel is speaking out about his response to the Oscars Will Smith slap incident.
Denzel Washington On The Oscars Will Smith Slap
Will Smith has always looked up to Denzel Washington, saying “He’s always been a mentor for me.” So, in the moments following Will’s inexcusable behavior, Denzel Washington was there to provide counsel.
“No way I could have sat in my seat,” Denzel explained. “That’s just not who I am.”
The Christian celebrity opened up a bit more about the Oscars Will Smith and Chris Rock incident when speaking with pastor T.D. Jakes at the 2022 International Leadership Summit.
Denzel Washington knows all too well that spiritual warfare is very real. And Satan can certainly capitalize on those moments where we are solely focused on our own emotions and aspirations, rather than God’s calling for us.
“There’s a saying when the devil ignores you, then you know you’re doing something wrong,” he told T.D. Jakes. “The devil goes, ‘Oh no leave him alone, he’s my favorite.’ Conversely, when the devil comes at you, maybe it’s because he’s trying to do something right. And for whatever reason, the devil got ahold of him that night.”
Denzel went on to speak about standing in the gap for Will Smith at the Oscars and praying with him after the assault.
“I don’t wanna say what we talked about, but there but for the grace of God go any of us,” he said.
What Will did was wrong and he will have to answer for his actions. But for Denzel Washington, prayer should be the response of those not involved.
“Who are we to condemn? I don’t know all the ins and outs of this situation, but I know the only solution was prayer, the way I saw it, the way I see it,” he said: