Tyler Perry Defends Will Smith and Addresses Childhood Trauma Triggering Outburst

Tyler Perry has spoken out in defense of Will Smith amid controversy following his Oscar outburst, which came after Chris Rock joked about his wife Jada’s shaved head. (Jada suffers from a hair loss condition called alopecia.) Speaking of the incident with Gayle King, Perry said that while he didn’t agree with the way things were handled, he did sympathize with Smith. “Something triggered it,” the “Madea” star said (via Rolling Stone). “That was so out of everything that is.”

He went on to explain that Smith’s hasty decision to attack Rock may stem from his childhood trauma, which Smith spoke of in his 2021 memoir “Will.” “In his book, there’s a moment when he can’t protect his mother from him. [as a child]. I know that feeling,” said Perry, who has been open about his own tragic childhood. “I know that feeling of being a man and thinking of the little boy. If that trauma is not dealt with immediately as you get older, it will show up at the most inappropriate and horrifying time.” However, he stressed that Smith’s actions were wrong and that Rock was a “pure champ” with how he handled the situation. He also claimed that navigating the situation among his friends had been difficult. “Being friends with both of them has been very difficult,” Perry admitted.

Despite the incident, Perry has continued to support Smith as the “King Richard” star tried to move past the controversy and worked hard to redeem himself.