Oscars 2022: Will Smith vs. Chris Rock through the eyes of a Times photographer

Veteran Los Angeles Instances photographer Myung J. Chun was on task on the 94th Oscars on Sunday, capturing the present with three cameras from throughout the projection sales space behind the home (together with about 10 different shooters from varied retailers). About two hours in, comic Chris Rock got here out to current the award for documentary characteristic and made a joke about actress Jada Pinkett Smith‘s practically bald head. Chun was switching cameras through the subsequent second, which turned out to be essentially the most harrowing in Oscar historical past.

“I all the time get a bit of squeamish when it’s a private joke,” says Chun. “So I used to be like, ehhh. Going into this, I didn’t find out about Jada’s situation [the actress suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune condition that can cause hair loss]. So I didn’t know precisely why her head was shaved till later. However I nonetheless thought, ‘That’s a bit uncomfortable.’ ”

Nobody anticipated what got here subsequent. The shooter took that second to modify cameras — simply as a determine moved onto the stage.

“I used to be on one digital camera, taking pictures tight, single pictures of Chris Rock. I moved off [to another camera] and noticed the silhouette of somebody strolling on stage. I assumed it was a stage supervisor or somebody from manufacturing. Then somebody in our group mentioned, ‘Hey, that’s Will Smith.’ I used to be citing the opposite digital camera to shoot a bit of looser; as I used to be bringing it up, out of the nook of my eye, I noticed the swing occurring.”

Chris Rock reacts to being slapped as Will Smith leaves the stage.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)

Celebrity Will Smith, the odds-on favourite to win his first Oscar that night time, had slapped Rock, exhausting throughout the face.

“I received on it and shot what I might, however I missed the swing by a fraction of a second. I received the aftermath, with the response and the face and the physique language. However for me, it was a fairly horrible time to be switching cameras.

“The picture that ran, that was the primary body. If I’d gotten the digital camera up 1 / 4 of a second quicker, I’d have had the swing.”

Los Angeles Instances photographer Myung J. Chun on the pink carpet earlier than the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Instances)

He heard the contact, like a muffled microphone being hit.

“I assumed it was a gag. Everyone [in the booth] did. It appeared so unreal. Then you definitely hear the primary f-bomb when [Smith] had gone again to his seat — at that time, I’m nonetheless pondering, ‘This can be a gag; they’re going to bleep that out.’

“However the second time he dropped an f-bomb, when he was yelling at him on the prime of his lungs and we might hear it dwell within the projection sales space approach behind the theater, that’s once I thought, ‘Hey, perhaps this factor is actual. Will Smith is de facto offended.’

“The theater received actually quiet. That’s when all the pieces modified. The entire temper modified.

“We realized he was actually upset. He actually hit Chris Rock. The temper kind of sank at that time and everybody realized it was a fairly severe matter.”

Chun realized one thing newsworthy was occurring. He stayed on Smith.

“Simply shoot as a lot as you may, {photograph} reactions. Once they went to business, I used to be photographing Denzel Washington speaking to him. [Fellow Philadelphian] Bradley Cooper received up, talked to Will Smith, put his fingers on him to calm him down. You simply maintain taking pictures.

“As everybody had observed when Questlove went up for his documentary Oscar — what a time to go up and win your award, after this had occurred. The whole temper had modified. It went from one thing that was enjoyable and entertaining to a complete downer: ‘What did we simply see?’ A man simply received [hit] on the Oscar stage on dwell TV. Completely killed the temper.”

Nicole Kidman reacts to seeing fellow nominee Jessica Chastain contained in the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night time.

(Myung Chun/Los Angeles Instances)

There was loads of confusion within the second, and it spilled over into the meme-verse. Earlier that night, Chun had grabbed an immediately memorable shot of actress Nicole Kidman reacting energetically to one thing. That picture rapidly began getting handed across the web as “Nicole Kidman reacts to the slap.” Not even shut, says Chun.

“In the course of the non-televised portion of the Oscars [the pre-show in which eight categories were awarded before the main ceremony], I used to be scouring the room and noticed Nicole Kidman. She had that nice response — mouth open, arms up. She put her arms out and shortly after, Jessica Chastain came to visit and greeted her. It wasn’t a response to the slap. It’s a humorous meme, however that’s completely not true. Jessica Chastain was a sight to behold — It’s thrilling, however on a distinct stage.”

Chun has been to 12 Oscar ceremonies, typically capturing arrivals. In his greater than three a long time as knowledgeable photographer, he has seen lots at these massive occasions, however nothing like what occurred on this night time.

“Seeing somebody get attacked on the Oscars — by a colleague, a fellow actor — that’s one thing I’d by no means seen earlier than and hopefully I’ll by no means see once more. That second was so unimaginable — completely different, distinctive, surprising — at an occasion that was speculated to have fun their achievements. I’d by no means skilled something like that at any Oscars I’d shot earlier than. I’d shot numerous pink carpet, and that’s very scripted and managed. They attempt to reduce off-script actions.”

Smith could have his regrets. Rock could have his regrets. Chun has his, as properly.

“I want I’d been 1 / 4 of a second quicker, that earlier second, fractionally early — that’s going to eat at me for a very long time, I’m going to should dwell with that. I simply hope, going ahead, nothing like this occurs once more.

“The picture that stood out from the entire occasion was Chris Rock [after he’d been slapped], seeing his facial features. That’s the picture that stood out.”