Will Smith awaits punishment after behavior at 2022 Oscars
US actor Will Smith (R) slaps US actor Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Every year, people wait to watch the Oscars to see their favorite celebrities and movies win awards for what they have accomplished within the last year. There’s a series of colors and beautiful faces that shine down the red carpet. Tears are shed onstage as glistening awards are held in hand. Many aspects of the Oscars are memorable, especially during Sunday night’s Oscars when Will Smith stormed the stage and struck presenter Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s, Jada Pinkett Smith, appearance.
Chris Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary when he made a remark about Jada’s current appearance. He joked, “Jada I love you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.” The camera then cut to Pinkett-Smith, who was not pleased with the remark, rolling her eyes in response next to her husband.
Chris replied, “That was a nice one,” seeing the joke did not go over well. The unanticipated moment when Will Smith marched onto the Oscars stage and smacked Chris Rock served as a startling interruption to the celebration. The vocal portion of the altercation between Rock and Smith was silenced for home viewers. “Wow, Will Smith just knocked the s–t out of me,” Rock said, before explaining what was simply a ‘G.I. Jane’ joke, but Smith was not having it and exclaimed again, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.” Rock declined to press charges, according to the LAPD.
Jada is afflicted with alopecia and has been open about her hair loss. Last summer, she revealed a shorn head. Pinkett-Smith had been shielding her head with scarves, but she decided to come out and tell her followers about her hair loss. Rock and Smith have been feuding since 2016 when Rock joked about Pinkett Smith skipping the Oscars due to its lack of diversity at the time.
Shortly after the incident, Smith won his first Academy Award for Best Actor in “King Richard.” Smith began his acceptance speech after being named best actor. He later apologized to numerous individuals, including the Williams’, but did not name Rock.
A series of tweets have soared across social media. The Academy and Will Smith have both apologized for their actions on social media.
The Academy stated, “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show…We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
According to two people familiar with the discussion, at least a dozen members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars, met online on Monday morning to discuss how to respond to Smith’s assault on Rock. According to reports, the conference was heated and divisive. There was no agreement on how to move forward. Smith’s performance in the upcoming film “Emancipation” may not be acknowledged by the Academy due to a possible year-long suspension or he might possibly be barred from the Academy for an indefinite period of time.
Numerous celebrities have shared their input on the situation. One notable opinion was from famous actor Jim Carrey, who was appalled by the situation. He pinpointed the fact that he would’ve woken up the next morning and sued because that moment lasts forever. Carrey stated in his slam, “I wish him the best, I really do … He’s done great things. But that was not a good moment. It cast a pall over everybody’s shining moment.”
What will the outcome of the review be?
