Will Smith raised eyebrows when he hit Chris Rock on stage after the latter joked about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head.
Several questioned why the Academy didn't do anything and wondered where the security was as Smith was still able to return to his seat. But sources said the Oscar organizers considered removing the Gemini Man star from his seat.
Will Smith Was Almost Removed From His Seat During The Oscars Ceremony After Hitting Chris Rock
Chris Rock joked about the bald head of Will Smith's wife. Apparently, it didn't sit well with the actor, who suddenly approached the comedian on stage and slapped him. Following the incident, the Oscars organizers wanted the actor to be removed from his seat.
"Having Will removed was definitely discussed seriously," an unnamed source told People. "You can't plan for something like this and make a split-second decision that needs everyone's buy-in, and in any iteration that would have consequences."
The insider said that behind the scenes, there were a lot of voices and opinions on weighing what should be done and what action should be taken the quickest. Many also checked with Rock if he was okay.
"Basically there were just minutes to first figure out if it was a stunt and then try and get people on the same page — including the producers, ABC, the Academy, reps who were not all in the same place or all looking at their phones in real time, and even to see if Chris wanted to press charges," the source added.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Variety that they were aware of the altercation at the Oscars. However, the victim did not press charges.
"If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report," the statement concluded.
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Academy Condemns What Will Smith Did To Comedian Chris Rock
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement after the incident clarifying that it condemned violence. However, in its initial remarks, it did not drop any names.
On Monday, the Academy released another statement addressing the altercation between Smith and Rock directly stating that it condemns the King Richard star's action.
"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," the organization's spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Variety.
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Smith already issued a public apology to Rock on Instagram. The actor admitted that he was at fault, describing his move as "unacceptable and inexcusable." However, he also explained that "a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."
"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong," Smith wrote. "I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
Stay tuned for more news and updates about the Will Smith - Chris Rock Oscar altercation.
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