Sunday was a big night for writer Will Smith, who took home his third Emmy Award while also poking fun at the famous movie star of the same name.
The 53-year-old British writer and comedian previously won an Emmy as a producer for HBO’s Veep and won his third Emmy for Outstanding Screenplay for a Drama Series for his Apple TV Plus series Slow Horses.
As he took the stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre, Smith joked about the now-infamous 2022 Oscar snub from that other, more famous Will Smith.
With his third statuette in hand, Smith’s first words of his acceptance speech were, “First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace,” which drew laughter.
“I want 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.
Sunday was a big night for writer Will Smith, who took home his third Emmy Award for poking fun at the famous movie star of the same name.
As he took the stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre, Smith joked about the now-infamous 2022 Oscar snub from that other, more famous Will Smith.
With his third statuette in hand, Smith’s first words of his acceptance speech were, “First of all, relax. Despite my name, I come in peace,” which drew laughter.
He also thanked Apple TV and executive director Jay Hunt for “her unwavering belief in the show” and 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 and my wonderful agent Abby Singer at Casarotto.’
He also thanked his “wonderful wife Anne” and praised their children Leo and Phoebe, adding: “Dad’s won a trophy.”
He also thanked director Saul Metzstein for his “most gifted and generous collaboration.”
“And most of all, thank you to Gary Oldman and the entire cast, and Jane Robertson and the entire crew, for doing the very best version of the script. Thank you so much,” Smith concluded.
The now-infamous Oscar blow came 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 as a result of her condition 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 walked up to Rock onstage and slapped him, much to the shock of everyone in the audience.
WINNERS OF THE 76TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS: AT A GLANCE
DRAMA
Excellent Drama Series: Shogun
Best Actress in a Drama Series: Anna Sawai, Shogun
Best Actor in a Drama Series: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
TALKING, VARIETY AND REALITY
Scripted Variety Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Conversation Series: The Daily Show
Outstanding Reality Competition Program: The Traitors
Shogun won a record 18 Primetime Emmy Awards, including nominations for Best Actress and Best Actor for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada
COMEDY
Excellent Comedy Series: Hacks
Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
LIMITED
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: Baby Reindeer
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series: Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Anthology Series: Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series: Lamorne Morris, Fargo
He also thanked Apple TV and CEO Jay Hunt for “their unwavering belief in the show,” plus 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 wonderful agent Abby Singer at Casarotto’
Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy banned him from attending the Oscars for 10 years
Smith walked back to his seat and yelled at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing 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 previously wrote for British series such as Monkey Dust, Time Trumpet and Slacker Cats.
He went on to write nine episodes of Veep, twelve episodes of Damned, two episodes of The Reluctant Landlord, and three episodes of Avenue 5 before creating Slow Horses.