Entertainment
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. Now what?
“I wish to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I used to be out of line and I used to be incorrect. I’m embarrassed and my actions weren’t indicative of the person I need to be,” Smith wrote. “There isn’t a place for violence in a world of affection and kindness.”
Nonetheless, some questions stay.
Smith took offense to Rock joking about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
“Jada I really like you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ cannot wait to see it,” Rock mentioned whereas presenting the award for finest documentary.
Smith walked on stage, slapped Rock, then walked again to his seat and yelled on the comedian to “Hold my spouse’s identify out of your f***ing mouth!”
Some on social media famous that Rock, who produced the 2009 documentary “Good Hair,” ought to have identified higher.
CNN has reached out to reps for Rock and the Smiths for remark.
Will the Academy take additional motion?
Not lengthy after the incident, Smith was introduced because the winner for finest actor for his position as Richard Williams, the daddy of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams, in “King Richard.”
In his acceptance speech Smith famous that “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his household.”
On this time in my life, on this second, I’m overwhelmed by what God is looking on me to do and be on this world,” Smith mentioned. “I am being known as on in my life to like folks and to guard folks. And to be a river to my folks.”
“And I do know to do what we do, you’ve got bought to have the ability to take abuse, and you have be capable to have folks discuss loopy about you,” he added. “On this enterprise, you’ve got bought to have the ability to have folks disrespecting you and you have to smile and fake like that is okay.”
The Academy mentioned in a tweet on Sunday evening that the group “doesn’t condone violence of any kind.”
On Monday, the Academy condemned Smith’s actions.
“We now have formally began a proper assessment across the incident and can discover additional motion and penalties in accordance with our Bylaws, Requirements of Conduct and California regulation,” the Academy mentioned in an announcement to CNN.
The Academy’s Board of Governors can vote on disciplinary measures reminiscent of suspension or expulsion from the group.
A teachable second?
This 12 months’s producer, Will Packer, acquired some criticism after tweeting, “Welp…I mentioned it would not be boring #Oscars.”
“Making jokes about an assault that occurred throughout your present is not the congratulatory message you suppose it’s,” Packer wrote in response to some feedback. “Black folks have a defiant spirit of laughter relating to coping with ache as a result of there was a lot of it.”
“I do not really feel the necessity to elucidate that for you,” he added. “However I additionally do not thoughts being clear and say that this was a really painful second for me. On many ranges.”
“Hopefully it turns into a teachable second the place Will Smith can communicate to folks in an trustworthy method about why that was not the best way to go,” Apatow mentioned. “We’ll see within the coming days how he communicates, and one assumes with all he does currently with the ‘Crimson Desk’ [his wife’s talk show] and all of that, that we’ll hear a really clear expression of why that was a horrible, embarrassing, and harmful mistake.”
Will Will Smith’s profession undergo?
Smith’s profession has had some determined ups (“Independence Day” and the “Males In Black” franchise) and downs (“Wild Wild West” and “After Earth”).
However he was undoubtedly on an upswing with “King Richard,” critically acclaimed and hailed as a triumph for Smith.
He has a number of initiatives arising, together with the Antoine Fuqua directed movie “Emancipation.”
It isn’t but identified what, if any, skilled repercussions Smith will face.