Will Smith stormed the stage at the Oscars and punched Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife.
The actor, who won Best Actor later on Sunday night, appeared to take offense at a gag order Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s cropped haircut.
The Magic Mike XXL star and Red Table Talk host has previously opened up about her experiences with hair loss and said her battle with alopecia prompted her to shave her head.
Speaking on Instagram last year, the actress explained: “Now at this point I can only laugh…you all know I struggled with alopecia. Suddenly one day…c appeared like this.
“Now it’s going to be a little harder for me to hide it.
“So I thought I’d share it just so you wouldn’t ask questions…Mom’s gonna have to take it to the scalp so no one thinks she’s had brain surgery or something.
“Me and this alopecia are going to be friends… period!
What did Chris Rock say?
Referring to Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut, Rock said, “Jada, I can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” which the actress rolled her eyes at.
The comedian’s joke referenced the 1997 film GI Jane, which featured Demi Moore sporting a buzzcut similar to Jada’s.
However, the comment prompted Will to take the stage where he slapped the presenter, before returning to his seat.
Rock appeared shocked and confused by the incident as he tried to resume presenting the best documentary feature category.
He said: “Wow. Will Smith just slapped the shit on me.
Smith then responded by shouting twice, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”
Rock replied, “I’ll do it, okay?
“It was the greatest night in television history.”
Rock presented The Roots star Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson with the award for his film Summer Of Soul.
After leaving the stage, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appeared and said, “Will and Chris, we’re going to work this out like a family at the gold party.”
Will Smith went on to win Best Actor for his performance in King Richard, the American biographical sports drama about the father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
Accepting his award, Smith apologized for his previous outburst and said: “Richard Williams was a fierce advocate for his family.
“I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all of my fellow nominees.
“It’s a beautiful moment and I’m not crying about winning an award, it’s not about winning an award for me, it’s about being able to shine a light on everyone.”
He continued: “Art imitates life, I look like the crazy dad, just like they said about Richard Williams, but love will make you do crazy things.”
After paying tribute to his mother and family, he added, “Thank you for this honor, thank you for this moment…I hope the Academy invites me back.”
Smith will not face police charges
Chris Rock refused to file a police report, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed.
A full statement from law enforcement said: “LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two people during the Oscars program.
“The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved refused to file a police report.
“If the party involved wants a police report at a later date, the LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”
The Academy also broke its silence on the matter, saying it “does not condone any form of violence.”
In a statement on social media, the organization said: “The Academy does not condone any form of violence.
“Tonight, we are thrilled to celebrate our 94th Oscar winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and moviegoers around the world.”
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Source: www.bedfordtoday.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-03-28 07:05:41
