BBC/ Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face on stage at the Oscars after the comic made a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
“Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2,” he said, in an apparent reference to her shaved hairdo – which is a result of the hair loss condition alopecia.
Smith walked on stage and struck Rock before returning to his seat and shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”
He later apologised on stage.
“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to my all my fellow nominees,” he said during a tearful acceptance speech for best actor.
The star picked up the first Oscar of his career for playing the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard.
Here in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, there was a shocked reaction from journalists to Smith’s run-in with Rock.
Reporters had been taking part in the traditional backstage press conference, where the winners come to answer questions after delivering their acceptance speeches.
But attention suddenly turned to our overhead screens and what was going on at the ceremony, as it became clear something serious was kicking off.
At first, it had seemed like a joke or some kind of set-up. Smith even appeared to laugh at first after Rock delivered his line about his wife looking like GI Jane.
Jada looked annoyed, but at this point it was still assumed this was all part of some kind of pre-planned routine.
Doubt began to creep in when Smith rose from his seat and hit Rock on the stage. Of course, both these guys are veterans of film and television, and would know how to carry out a fake stage slap. Except, everyone was starting to think, it didn’t look that fake.
By the time Smith was sitting back in his seat and shouting to Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your [expletive] mouth”, it was clear this was no sketch. A professional like Smith would know better than to drop the F-bomb on stage during a live TV broadcast.
Viewers at home didn’t hear the swearing. Broadcast network ABC had cut the live feed to avoid offending viewers at home.
Throughout the altercation, there was complete silence in the winners’ room. Academy staffers looked just as shocked as the journalists did. “I thought they were doing a bit,” one said to his colleague.
Rock, meanwhile, looked visibly shaken. But, realising he’d just made Oscars history, he made light of the situation, commenting: “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”
Much like previous Oscars that were defined by their viral moments – such as Ellen’s group selfie or the best picture winner mix-up in 2017 – this will now forever be the Oscars where Will Smith punched Chris Rock.
Will Smith’s best actor acceptance speech in full:
Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film, I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis, who is one of the most strongest, most delicate people I’ve ever met. I got to protect Saniyya [Sidney] and Demi [Singleton], the two actresses who played Venus and Serena.
I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know, to do what we do, you’ve got to be able to take abuse. You got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you’ve got to be able to have people disrespecting you, and you’ve got to smile, you’ve got to pretend like that’s OK. What I loved was, Denzel [Washington] said to me a few moments ago, he said, ‘At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.’
I want to be a vessel for love. I want to say thank you to Venus and Serena and the entire Williams family for entrusting me with your story. That’s what I want to do. I want to be an ambassador of that kind of love and care and concern.
I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all of the people – Tim [White, producer] and Trevor [White, producer] and Zach [Baylin, writer] and Saniyya and Demi and Aunjanue and the entire cast and crew of King Richard, and Venus and Serena, the entire Williams family.
Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things.
And my mother… a lot in this moment is really complicated for me but to my mother, she didn’t want to come out. She’s had her knitting crew who she’s in Philly watching with. Being able to love and care for my mother, my family, my wife… I’m taking up too much time… Thank you for this honour. Thank you for this moment and thank you on behalf of Richard and Oracene and the entire Williams family. Thank you. I hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you
