After the 94e Oscars ceremony, the slap given on stage by Will Smith to Chris Rock sent shock waves through Hollywood and around the world. The American actor broke the silence on Monday evening to apologize to the host.
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“Violence in all its forms is toxic and destructive. My behavior at the Oscars is unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes regarding me are part of the job, but a joke regarding Jada’s medical condition was too much to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Will Smith said in an Instagram post shared to his 61.2 million subscribers.
On the stage of the Dolby Theater to award the prize for best documentary, Chris Rock then launched a joke regarding the close-cropped hair of Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I overstepped the mark and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions do not represent the man I want to be, ”he continues, before apologizing to the Academy of Oscars.
condemned actions
The latter also indicated that she “condemns the actions” of the actor, according to a spokesperson for the Academy in a press release sent to the magazine. Variety Monday followingnoon.
“We have officially begun an investigation into this incident and we will consider the action to be taken with regard to its regulations and California law,” he said.
According to Variety, Will Smith might receive sanctions, but it would be surprising if his Oscar was taken away from him.
Earlier in the day, LAPD said they were “aware of a two-person incident during the Oscars in which one individual slapped another,” but the latter refused to report. lodge a complaint.
The thread of events
The altercation between the two actors caused an outcry in Hollywood.
According to the evening’s ratings, more than 15 million viewers witnessed the incident.
Asked to present an award, comedian Chris Rock, renowned for his caustic humor, joked regarding the hairstyle of Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith, comparing her shaved head to that of Demi Moore in the film G.I. Jane. At the time, Will Smith seemed to find the gag amusing. But Jada Pinkett Smith looked up. You should know that the actress suffers from alopecia, a disease that causes hair loss.
Photo AFP
Asked to present an award, Chris Rock makes a joke regarding the hair of Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith.
That’s when Will Smith took the stage to slap Chris Rock in such a theatrical fashion that at first we thought it was staged. But both Chris Rock and the spectators seated in the room were in shock. The ABC network quickly muted the sound. But thanks to extracts from the sequence broadcast on foreign networks, it was possible to hear the exchange of insults that followed.
“Wow, wow, Will Smith just knocked my head off,” Rock stunned first.
Back in his seat, Will Smith then yelled at Rock, “Leave my wife’s name out of your filthy mouth.” Rock replies to him when it was just a joke on the film G.I. Jane. After a long, awkward silence, the comedian went on to say, “It was the most memorable night in television history. »
Acclaimed by the crowd
But it was far from over. A little later, following being consoled during a commercial break by Denzel WashingtonWill Smith went back on stage to pick up the Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of sisters Venus and Serena Williams, in the film King Richard.
In tears, he burst into tears, apologizing to the Academy and the other finalists. He also drew a parallel with his character in King Richard, very protective of his daughters. “I feel like I’m imitating Richard Williams. He has often been described as a slightly crazy father. But love can make you do crazy things, ”launched the 53-year-old actor before being cheered, despite everything, by the crowd.
Photo AFP
Behind the scenes with his spouse: already everything seems to have been forgotten.
To try to understand the violent reaction of Will Smith, we can also go back to the 2016 edition of the Oscars. That year, Chris Rock, who hosted the gala, made fun of the fact that the Smith couple had boycotted the ceremony because of the controversy “Oscars so white”.
“Jada boycotting the Oscars is like saying boycott Rihanna’s panties: I wasn’t invited anyway,” joked the comedian.
A few hours following the incident, Will Smith was in high spirits at the party hosted by Vanity Fair magazine. The actor stormed the dance floor there with his loved ones.