Will Smith says 'you can't protect your family' in David Letterman interview recorded before controversial Oscars slap
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Lauren Edmonds
May 23, 2022, 21:10 IST
Will Smith appeared on Netflix's "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman."Pablo Cuadra / WireImage
Will Smith, 53, appeared in a new season of "My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman."
Smith told Letterman that "safety is an illusion" and he "always thought of himself as a coward."
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Will Smith reflected on his career, family, and personal journey in a David Letterman interview recorded prior to the 2022 Oscars.
Season 4 of "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" dropped on Netflix Friday with an appearance from the Academy Award-winning actor in episode two. Smith's episode opened with a disclaimer that read, "The episode was recorded prior to the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony."
Near the end of the interview, Smith, 53, discussed his realization that the "material world is completely, utterly, and totally incapable of sustaining our happiness."
"Beyond the essentials of protecting yourself and your family," Letterman, 75, added.
"You can't protect your family, right?" Smith said. "That's not real. Protection and safety is an illusion. You have to learn to live with the reality that any moment, anything can be gone in one second."
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Smith, a father to three children, added: "So with that reality, how can you be here? And how can you be joyful and be here?"
"The first line of the first chapter is, 'I've always thought of myself as a coward," Smith told Letterman. "When I was nine years old, I saw my father beat up my mother, and I didn't do anything. And that just left a traumatic impression of myself as a coward."
Smith added that reflecting while writing his memoir helped him become a more relatable actor.
"Life is so exciting to me right now, because I can reach people differently than I've ever been able to reach people, largely because of my pain," he said. "I'm really ready to dive into my art in a way that I think will be hopefully fulfilling for me and helpful for the human family."
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"My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" follows the TV legend as he interviews global figures from various industries. Season 4 features six episodes, including appearances from celebrities like Cardi B, Billie Eilish, and Kevin Durant.
Smith and Rock have spoken out after the controversial Oscars slap
"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris," Smith wrote. "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."
"Anyone who says 'words hurt' has never been punched in the face," Rock said.
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