Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock during The Oscars, but did not after an intervention from the comedian, a producer of the show alleges.
In a clip teasing his upcoming interview with Good Morning America, The Academy Awards producer Will Packer claims cops told Rock they would remove the 53-year-old from the audience and arrest him for battery.
"'We will go get him, we are prepared to get him right now," the offers said to Rock, Packer claims. "You can press charges. We can arrest him."
The producer alleges Rock initially dismissed the police, but he encouraged the Everybody Hates Chris star to hear them out before making a decision.
"They were laying out the options, and as they were talking, Chris was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, 'No, I'm fine.' He was like, 'No, no, no,'" the producer added.
In the end, Rock decided not to press charges, however police said in a statement: "If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report."
Smith, however, who went on to win the Best Actor category, will still face consequences from Oscars officials, which could result in sanctions such as expulsion or suspension, after the Academy board of governors meets later this month.
"Consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response," the Academy said in a statement Wednesday.
Smith stormed the stage of the award show on Sunday night following a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 50, by guest presenter Rock.
The comedian had suggested she looked like G.I. Jane, assumed to be in reference to her shaved head - with the actress previously saying she suffered hair loss due to alopecia.
Smith - who's been married to Pinkett Smith since 1997 - confronted Rock and slapped him during the live broadcast from the Dolby Theatre, located in Los Angeles.
He then shouted at Rock to keep "my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth", from his chair.
Smith has since apologised to Rock publicly.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” he began.
“Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong.
"I 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."
“I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,” he said.
