Tyrese Gibson Defends Will Smith, Talks Late Mom and New Movie 'Morbius' (Exclusive)

Tyrese Gibson is weighing in on the Oscars drama. The 43-year-old Morbius actor spoke to ET's Kevin Frazier on Wednesday, and revealed why he's supporting Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.

"When is the last time you heard somebody apologize about something they either said or did in this town?" Gibson asked, referencing Smith's acceptance speech apology to his peers and the Academy, and his later statement expressing his apologies to Rock. "We lack accountability. In my mind, they're going to do what [they] do, they're going to say what they say. There was an action, there was a mistake, and this man apologized."

"If I was looking for an opportunity to not be a fan or a supporter, he just brought me all the way back in from being a man that's not above an apology," he continued. "I have to appreciate that, so go on, go have fun on social media every time somebody say something or do something they're going to take off. We've got a short attention span. Next week something else is gonna be all over the headlines. We're gonna move on."

Following Smith's apologies, Gibson said he's "gonna allow myself to support Will Smith for the rest of my life." That doesn't negate his positive feelings for Rock, though.

"I love Will Smith and I love Chris Rock and I just wish them the best. I want the best for them," he said. "I want this all to land I want the dust to still. I want us to move on."

Gibson is ready to move on by promoting his new movie, Morbius. The actor stars alongside Jared Leto in the flick, which was directed by Daniel Espinosa and features "ridiculous" special affects.

"My character's name is Agent Stroud. I am an FBI agent. I actually served in the Army and I came close to dying, and it was actually [Leto's] Doctor Michael Morbius who saved me," Gibson said, before praising Leto as a "fully committed, real guy"

"They created a level of seriousness in me that that I was like, 'Wow, it's real,'" Gibson added of Leto and Espinosa.

He hopes the film will be one that gets fans excited to return to the movie theater after quarantine, telling ET, "After what we just went through in this pandemic we should happy that we actually have an opportunity to go back to the theaters and watch something."

Morbius, as well as every positive thing that happens in Gibson's life and career, makes him think of his late mom, who died on Valentine's Day after a battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia. 

"Rest in peace to my mom, who passed away on Valentine's Day. Mom instilled in me, you are blessed, but never get too familiar with being blessed," he said. "You should always look at everything like a big deal, every room you walk into, every opportunity that comes your way, just thank God. Never get too familiar, because if you allow yourself to become too familiar all these blessings become no big deal to you."

Morbius will hit theaters April 1.

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