An Academy Award's insider has revealed that Chris Rock made a joke backstage after he was slapped on stage by Will Smith. He was hit by the actor after making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith's hair loss during the Oscars.
Reports now suggest that Rock didn't know about Jada's alopecia - but it has been suggested that Rock made a joke and tried to laugh off the situation backstage. A Vanity Fair awards insider has since reported that Rock tried to downplay the situation.
As he exited the stage, the comedian referred to Smith as boxer Muhammad Ali. Smith portrayed the sports legend in the 2001 film Ali and was nominated for an Oscar for his performance.
Read more: Chris Rock speaks out days after being attacked by Will Smith at The Oscars
“When Chris Rock walked back to the wings of the stage with the winners, his cheek was red, but he tried to play it off to the gobsmacked crew and fellow presenters by making a joke about one of Will Smith’s other Oscar-nominated roles,” they wrote.
"One witness said he remarked loudly, ‘That’s the only time you get hit by Muhammad Ali and it doesn’t leave a scratch'."
Smith has since apologised for the slap. "I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram. “I was out of line and I was wrong. am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
The Academy has since revealed that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony after slapping Rock, but he refused to do so.
"Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated," the academy said in a statement. "While we would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognise we could have handled the situation differently."
