Will Smith picks first major award since Oscar slap-gate at NAACP Image awards

Will Smith picked up his first major honour at the NAACP Image awards on Saturday night, marking his first award win since his infamous 2022 Oscars slap incident.

Smith won the award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Apple TV+ film Emancipation.

While the King Richard star was not present at the ceremony to accept his award in person (Variety reported), he took to his Instagram and thanked jury for the win.

Smith wrote, “WOW!! NAACP!! I am absolutely humbled by this!! I want to share this with my entire #Emancipation family – @antoinefuqua, @charmainebingwa, Ben, Bob, Jon the whole team at @westbrook and @appletvplus… I am so proud of the work we put into this film.”

“I would like to thank the NAACP for honoring our film! @derricknaacp – you and your entire organization – and the work you do all year round – is truly important, so to be recognized by y’all – it means a lot,” he added.

Showing he was watching from home, Smith wrote, “Also – can we give my girl @queenlatifah her flowers? She is KILLIN’ it as host tonight!”

Smith’s victory at NAACP comes almost a year after he shocked the world when he stormed the stage at the Academy Awards and slapped Chris Rock across the face for joking about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.