Last night was the Academy Awards, and it was (unsurprisingly) a doozy. There were groundbreaking wins like Coda, as well as some notable snubs, although perhaps the biggest subject of conversation is the confrontation shared on stage between Will Smith and presenter Chris Rock. It turns out that Rock has declined to press charges after he was slapped by Smith, according to the LAPD
Towards the end of last night’s Oscars ceremony, former host Chris Rock took the stage, and took a jab at the appearance of Jada Pinkett Smith. This prompted a strong response from her husband, who walked onstage and promptly slapped the comic, before returning to his seat and shouting obscenities at Rock. The conflict broke the internet and blew the public’s minds, and many wondered if the comedian would press any charges against the King Richard star. A statement from the LAPD (via Variety) answered this query, which reads:
LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program. The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.
There you have it. It looks like Chris Rock currently doesn’t have any plans to begin a legal battle with Will Smith over that slap heard around the world. But if he were to change his course of action, the LAPD would be available to take action against Will Smith.
This update from the LAPD about the incident at last night’s Academy Awards come as the public is still processing seeing such a confrontation on television. The memes quickly started rolling in after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, and the discourse surrounding that event likely won’t stop anytime soon. But for now it seems the drama is being handled between the individuals involved, without bringing any law enforcement or legal teams into it.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke aimed at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. He referenced Demi Moore’s 1997 movie G.I. Jane, taking aim at Pinkett Smith’s short hairstyle. This is what inspired the King Richard actor to slap Rock, and tell him to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth. And this was shortly before Smith would win the Best Actor Oscar, including a long, tearful acceptance speech.
Jada Pinkett Smith recently opened up about her struggles with alopecia, sharing on the Red Table Talk about how she’d struggled with hair loss for years before shaving her head. This is likely why emotions were so high for the couple as a result of Chris Rock’s public mocking at the Oscars. It remains to be seen if any of the three stars will issue an official statement as the online discourse continues on. And with the conversation including subjects like race, sexism, comedy, and the stars’ public marriage, it’s definitely a complicated issue.
King Richard is currently available on HBO Max. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.