The biggest talking point from the Oscars last night (27 March) is Will Smith hitting Chris Rock over a joke the comic made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s appearance – but how did she react herself?
Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary when he made the joke.
“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” he quipped in an apparent reference to the actor’s shaved head.
The Red Table Talk host, who has spoken candidly about her hair loss from alopecia in the past, was seen rolling her eyes at the comment, clasping her hands together, and giving Rock a disappointed sideways look.
While Smith had initially laughed, he then walked on stage and struck the comedian, yelling “keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth”.
While many celebrities condemned Will’s actions, his 23-year-old son Jaden posted, in a since-deleted tweet: “And That’s How We Do It.”
Smith cried and apologised to the Academy – but notably not to Rock – during his Best Actor winner’s speech for King Richard later in the night, and shared what Denzel Washington told him in the aftermath of the incident.
In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that they are aware that an incident took place at the Academy Awards but that no one involved has filed a report.
“LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,” a statement by the LAPD said.
“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.”
Following the incident, a joke Rock made about Pinkett Smith at the 2016 Oscars resurfaced online.
Find the full list of 2022 Oscar winners here. See the latest updates and reactions from the dramatic ceremony here, and read about the biggest talking points here.
