Slow Horses Screenwriter Will Smith Pokes Fun At Oscar Slapping Of His Namesake In Funny 2024 Emmy Moment

Sunday was a big night for writer Will Smith, who won his third Emmy Award and also poked fun at the famous movie star of the same name.

The 53-year-old British writer and comedian has previously won two Emmys as a producer on HBO’s Veep and won his third Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for his Apple TV Plus series Slow Horses.

Taking the stage at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, Smith poked fun at the now-infamous slap he received at the 2022 Oscars from the more famous Will Smith.

Holding his third statuette in his hand, Smith delivered the first words of his acceptance speech: “First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace,” prompting laughter.

“I’d like to thank Mick Herron for his brilliant books, Gail Mutrux for seeing the potential in them, Jamie Laurenson for seeing the potential in me,” he began.

He also thanked Apple TV executive Jay Hunt for “his unwavering belief in the series,” as well as Graham Yost “for his support and wisdom.”

Smith also thanked “Iain Canning and everyone at See Saw, my fellow writers, Morwenna Banks, Mark Denton, Johnny Stotckwood, my amazing agent Abby Singer at Casarotto.”

He also thanked his “wonderful wife Anne” and sent a message to their children Leo and Phoebe, adding: “Daddy won a trophy.”

He also thanked director Saul Metzstein for being “the most gifted and generous collaborator.”

“And most of all, thank you to Gary Oldman and all the actors, Jane Robertson and the whole team for making the best possible version of the script. Thank you very much,” Smith concluded.

The now infamous Oscar slap occurred at the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022, when comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her bald head due to alopecia.

He joked that he couldn’t wait to see her in “GI Jane 2,” referring to the 1997 film starring Demi Moore in which she shaved her head for the role.

Shortly after the joke, Smith calmly approached Rock on stage and slapped him, much to the surprise of everyone in attendance.

Smith then returned to his seat and yelled at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth,” further stunning the crowd.

Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy banned him from attending the Oscars for 10 years.

Writer Will Smith has previously written for British series such as Monkey Dust, Time Trumpet and Slacker Cats.

He would go on to write nine episodes of Veep, 12 episodes of Damned, two episodes of The Reluctant Landlord and three episodes of Avenue 5 before creating Slow Horses.