Smith shocked the audience at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (March 27) when he took the stage and slapped Rock in the face with his open hand during the ceremony. The moment came after Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith, referring to her as “GI Jane” in a reference to her shaved head. Pinkett Smith was open about her diagnosis of alopecia. Rock was stunned, saying to the crowd, “Will Smith just popped my stone.” Smith, who had returned to his post, then shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth.” Moments later, Smith gave a tearful speech in which he apologized to everyone except Rock for winning Best Actor for King Richard. He has since apologized to the comedian. In his apology, King Richard’s star said he understood that jokes were part of his life as a public figure and that “violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive”. Rock has not yet publicly accepted the apology, but a source told TMZ that Rock “had no idea” Pinkett Smith had alopecia. A source close to Rock also claimed that Rock and Smith have not yet spoken to each other about the incident. Shortly after the ceremony, it was reported that Rock had refused to plead guilty. After the brawl, a joke Rock made about Pinkett Smith at the 2016 Oscars reappeared on the internet. Register Will Smith beat Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars (AFP via Getty Images) The Academy has said it may discipline Smith over the incident. “The academy condemns Mr. Smith’s actions in last night’s show,” the group said in a statement following the controversy. “We have officially launched a formal review of the incident and will investigate further actions and consequences in accordance with our Statutes, Standards of Conduct and California law.” Smith’s actions have split views in Hollywood and on social media, with a number of celebrities, critics and public figures – including senators and British MPs – offering their views on the incident. Last night (Monday, March 28), the former presenter of the Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais, appeared to react to the quarrel by sharing an excerpt from his popular series, The Office. Find the full list of 2022 Oscar winners here. See the latest updates and reactions from the dramatic ceremony here and read about the biggest discussion points here.
