Will Smith of ‘Slow Horses’ wins Emmy, jokes about namesake’s infamous Oscars slap

At the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Slow Horses writer and creator Will Smith won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. During his acceptance speech, Smith lightened the mood with a humorous reference to his namesake, Hollywood actor Will Smith, and the infamous Oscars slap that made headlines in 2022.

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"First of all, relax -- despite my name, I come in peace," the writer quipped, alluding to actor Will Smith’s controversial moment when he slapped comedian Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards. The audience responded with laughter, as Slow Horses' Smith continued his speech.

The Emmy-winning writer adapted Slow Horses for Apple TV, bringing to life the popular Slough House spy novels by Mick Herron. The show has been widely praised for its gripping narrative and strong performances, earning six total nominations at Sunday’s ceremony.

Smith’s writing win saw him beat out strong contenders, including Peter Morgan and Meriel Sheibani-Clare for The Crown, Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner for Fallout, and Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover for Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Other nominees included Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, who were recognized for their work on Shogun.

With his witty remarks and well-earned win, Will Smith of Slow Horses certainly left a memorable mark at the 2024 Emmys.