Will Smith news - live: Chris Rock denies rumour he’s spoken to Smith ‘despite what you heard’

This year’s Oscars featured shocks, sighs and surprises – but all anyone will care about is a slap. The Academy Awards took place on Sunday night, with films including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza and Coda battling it out in the big categories.

The biggest story of the night had almost nothing to do with the awards: a shocking altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock sparked by a joke about Smith’s wife Jada. Smith walked up onto the stage and appeared to smack Rock in the face, before shouting at him to not refer to his wife again.

It undoubtedly overshadowed the night as a whole, and notably – just minutes later – Smith’s win of the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard. Through tears, Smith called himself “a vessel of love” and apologised to the Academy. The LAPD confirmed that Rock is not pressing charges. The Academy said it “does not condone violence of any form” and launched a “formal review” into what happened. Hours later, Smith apologised to Rock and said he was “embarrassed”.

Smith was also reportedly asked to leave the Oscars after breaking the Academy’s code of conduct, but he refused.

Following the on-stage incident, celebrities including Alec Baldwin and Adam Sandler have spoken out in support of Rock, whose forthcoming comedy tour has since experienced a huge surge of interest.

On Wednesday, during the sold-out Boston show of his Ego Death tour, Rock finally addressed the altercation between him and Smith.

You can follow all the developments about the “slap that was heard around the world” in our live blog below...

Key Points

• Chris Rock breaks silence on Will Smith Oscars slap

• Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slap

• Coda wins Best Picture

• Oscars viewers moved by Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli’s tender moment

• The 6 biggest talking points from the Oscars ceremony

• Academy announces ‘formal review’ to assess ‘consequences’ of Smith altercation

New footage shows Jada Pinkett Smith’s reaction to ‘The Slap'

11:51 , Maanya Sachdeva

New footage of Jada Pinkett Smith reacting to husband Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars live ceremony has emerged online.

The footage seemingly filmed on a mobile phone, and shared on TikTok, shows the viewpoint of somebody sat behind the Smiths, who were on the front row.

Pinkett Smith can be seen laughing at Rock’s response to the altercation: “Will smith just slapped the s*** out of me.”

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Footage shows Jada Pinkett Smith’s reaction as Chris Rock responds to Will Smith slap

Daniel Radcliffe says he’s ‘already dramatically bored’ with Will Smith drama

10:41 , Isobel Lewis

One celebrity who won’t be weighing in on the Will Smith/Chris Rock drama is Daniel Radcliffe.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, the Harry Potter star was asked for his thoughts on the dramatic moment.

However, Radcliffe refused to offer his own opinions, saying: “I saw it, I’m just so already dramatically bored of hearing people’s opinions about it that I just don’t want to be another opinion adding to it.’”

GI Jane’s hairstylist says Chris Rock joke did not warrant Jada Pinkett Smith’s eye-roll

10:00 , Peony Hirwani

The hairstylist behind Demi Moore’s buzzcut in GI Jane has said he doesn’t understand Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s response to Chris Rock’s joke at the Oscars.

Enzo Angileri, who styled Moore’s hair for the 1997 war film, told Page Six he thought the joke was “cute” and “benevolent”.The stylist said he didn’t know Pinkett Smith suffered from alopecia prior to Sunday evening, but her reaction still did not make sense to him.

“I thought she looked amazing, so regal,” he said. “I thought it was a beauty choice...I have never seen her look more beautiful.”

“It’s nothing to cause such a rolling of the eyes in my opinion, that stimulated her husband to act that way,” he added.

Saman Javed has the full story:

GI Jane hairstylist doesn’t get Jada Pinkett Smith’s eye roll at Chris Rock joke

Heckler shouting ‘Will Smith’ escorted out of Chris Rock’s sold-out comedy show

09:10 , Peony Hirwani

A heckler who interrupted Chris Rock’s first comedy show in Boston since the Oscars slap to shout “Will Smith” was reportedly escorted out by security.

It has also been reported that two hecklers tried separately to interrupt Rock’s performance at Wilbur Theatre, shouting “WIll Smith” during his live set.

These chants were met with louder “boo”s from other audience members, Daily Mail reported.

When it happened again, the heckler was escorted out of the premises by security, prompting Rock to ask: “Is this how this tour is going to go?”

Maanya Sachdeva has the full story:

Heckler shouting ‘Will Smith’ escorted out of Chris Rock’s sold-out comedy show

Summer of Soul producer criticises Chris Rock for ‘white guy’ joke made after Will Smith slap at Oscars

08:40 , Peony Hirwani

Summer of Soul producer Joseph Patel has criticised Chris Rock for a joke he made while presenting the film with an Oscar.

He wrote on Twitter: “We were in shock walking to the stage not because of winning, but because we, too, were still trying to make sense of what happened.”

While Patel called out Will Smith for slapping Rock, he also expressed anger towards the comedian for claiming Summer of Soul had been made by “Questlove... and four white guys”.

“What I didn’t hear in that moment walking to stage but was told of afterwards is what Chris Rock said when reading our name from the winner’s card,” he tweeted, adding: “WHAT IN THE ACTUAL F***?????”

Patel said that “the reason that makes me SO SO VERY ANGRY is because I was so proud to be one of a handful of South Asians to have ever won an Oscar in the history of the award”.

He added that he was “the third South Asian to win that night” following Riz Ahmed and Aneil Karia’s victory in the Best Live Action Short category for The Long Goodbye.

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Summer of Soul producer criticises Chris Rock for calling him a ‘white guy’ at Oscars

Chris Rock addresses rumours he’s spoken to Will Smith after actor hit him at Oscars

08:30 , Peony Hirwani

Chris Rock has addressed whether he has spoken to Will Smith in the wake of the actor hitting him at the Oscars.

At his first stand-up show since the incident, Rock referenced the matter. Without mentioning Smith’s name, he said of the fallout on Wednesday (30 March): “I haven’t talked to anyone, despite what you heard.”

He also said he is “still processing what happened” during the ceremony, which has become the most talked-about moment despite Coda’s Best Picture victory.

Despite a source close to Rock claiming he “had no idea” Pinkett Smith had alopecia, the comedian is yet to comment on whether or not he did.

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Chris Rock addresses rumour he spoke to Will Smith after actor hit him at Oscars

Donald Glover says people ‘are already tired of’ reading about Will Smith-Chris Rock incident

08:20 , Peony Hirwani

Donald Glover has shared his thoughts about the most-talked moment of Oscars 2022.

When the 38-year-old actor was asked about Will Smith’s Oscars slap on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he said: “Everybody was kinda just, kinda chatting.”

“I think it felt like you were in someone’s living room. And it just kinda happened,” he added. “To me, I don’t even really wanna get into it. It’s like, whatever.

“People are already tired of it. People are like, ‘Dang, I gotta read another article. It’s been eight articles already.’ And also, like, I’ve had a lot of stuff happen to me while I was telling jokes on stage, that kind of thing.”

Academy officials were ‘apoplectic’ after Will Smith ignored their request to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slap

08:00 , Peony Hirwani

Will Smith was reportedly asked to leave the Oscars after breaking the Academy’s code of conduct, but he refused.

Two sources who were present at the scene told TMZ that David Rubin, the president of the Academy, and CEO Dawn Hudson were “apoplectic” and “furious” at Smith when he refused to leave the venue after slapping Chris Rock.

The sources also said that there was plenty of “yelling” and “heated conversations” backstage with the King Richard actor’s reps after the incident.

Following Sunday’s (27 March) situation, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has now begun “disciplinary proceedings” against Smith.

Leonie Cooper has the full story:

Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slap, says Academy

P Diddy says he ‘never confirmed’ Will Smith and Chris Rock had reconciled

07:50 , Peony Hirwani

P Diddy has clarified that he “never confirmed” that Will Smith and Chris Rock had reconciled after the Oscars 2022 incident.

After Sunday night’s events unfolded, Page Six reported that P Diddy confirmed at the Vanity Fair Oscars party that Rock and Smith had reconciled after the incident.

However, P Diddy has now set the record straight.

“I never confirmed they had reconciled,” he told TMZ, according to Complex. ”I said, ‘As brothers, they will work it out, and let’s move on with love’.”

Read more below:

P Diddy says he ‘never confirmed’ Will Smith and Chris Rock had reconciled

James Corden accuses Will Smith of not being able to ‘take a joke’

07:20 , Peony Hirwani

James Corden has accused Will Smith of not being able to “take a joke” after he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars.

Speaking on his The Late Late Show, Corden directly addressed the controversy from the Oscars where Smith slapped Rock after he made a joke about his wife’s appearance.

“I’ll say this, Will Smith can’t take a joke,” Corden said.

He went on to praise how Rock handled the incident: “Seriously though, I applaud Chris Rock for recovering, keeping the show moving. It was an incredibly dignified response.”

Sam Moore has the full story:

James Corden says Will Smith ‘can’t take a joke’ and Chris Rock ‘can take a punch’

Chris Rock greeted with a long standing ovation at first show after Oscar slap

06:53 , Peony Hirwani

As soon as Chris Rock appeared at the packed Wilbur Theatre for the opening show of his Ego Death tour, he was greeted with a 2-3 minute-long standing ovation.

The comedian then went on to address his altercation with Smith.

“Let me be all misty and s***,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I don’t have a bunch of s*** to say about that, so if you came here for that,” Rock said adding: “I had written a whole show before this weekend.”

“I’m still processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s***. It’ll be serious. It’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes,” Rock, who landed in Boston for his first live show after the Will Smith Oscars incident, said on Wednesday (30 March).

Chris Rock receives standing ovation at first comedy show since Oscars slap

What was the joke Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars?

05:20 , Peony Hirwani

Will Smith, who won the Oscar for Best Actor around 15 minutes after the altercation, took issue with a joke Rock made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Chris Rock was onstage to present the award for Best Documentary when he made a remark about Pinkett Smith’s appearance.

“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” he quipped, appearing to refer to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.GI Jane was a 1997 American drama film starring Demi Moore in a fictional story about the first woman to undergo special operations training, similar to the US Navy Seals. Moore, who won a Golden Raspberry award for Worst Actress for her performance, had a shaved head for the movie.

Pinkett Smith – who announced last year that she shaved her head after struggling with alopecia – could be seen in the audience together with her husband, rolling her eyes at Rock’s comment.

Roisin O’Connor has the full story:

What was the joke Chris Rock made about Will Smith’s wife Jada?

Chris Rock breaks silence on Will Smith Oscars slap

04:26 , Peony Hirwani

Chris Rock broke his silence over Will Smith hitting him onstage at the Oscars on Sunday (27 March).

The comedian addressed the altercation on Wednesday night (30 March) at the sold-out Boston show of his Ego Death tour, where he said he was “still processing” what happened last weekend.

After the crowd greeted him with a standing ovation, Rock, 57, said: “Let me be all misty and s***“, with tears in his eyes.“I don’t have a bunch of s*** to say about that, so if you came here for that...” Rock added, saying: “I had written a whole show before this weekend.”

“I’m still processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s***. It’ll be serious. It’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes,” the comedian said.

Maanya Sachdeva has the full story:

Chris Rock breaks silence on Will Smith Oscars slap

Debunking bizarre claims about the Will Smith slap

01:32 , Isobel Lewis

While the whole Will Smith/Chris Rock drama was caught on camera, some internet conspiracy theorists have falsely claimed that the entire thing was planned or a stunt.

At the link below, we’ve debunked some of the wildest theories claiming that The Slap (trademark) was fake...

The most bizarre Will Smith and Chris Rock theories, debunked

Thursday 31 March 2022 00:07 , Isobel Lewis

Long week, right guys?

If ever there was a chance to insert the 30 Rock “Lemon, it’s Wednesday” gif, this’d be it...

Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slap, Academy says

Wednesday 30 March 2022 23:33 , Nathan Place

Will Smith was asked to leave the Oscars after assaulting Chris Rock, but refused, the Academy says.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences says it has now begun “disciplinary proceedings” against Smith for his conduct during the ceremony.

“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the organization said in a new statement.

Read more here:

Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slap, says Academy

Wednesday 30 March 2022 22:33 , Isobel Lewis

One star who did miss out on all the on-stage action was Rita Ora, who’s admitted that she was in the bathroom when Will Smith punched Chris Rock.

The singer, who was attending Vanity Fair’s party with boyfriend Taika Waititi, told Australia’s Nova FM that she was “very annoyed” to have missed the event.

“I suddenly had to go to the bathroom at that point, which I’m very annoyed about,” she said, adding that she was left wondering what on earth was going on on her return.

Chris Rock’s return to the stage

Wednesday 30 March 2022 20:58 , Isobel Lewis

After all the drama of Sunday night, we might get to hear exactly what Chris Rock has to say tonight, as the comedian returns to comedy for the first time.

Rock kicks off his new Ego Death world comedy tour at The Wilbur in Boston on Wednesday night.

The venue’s owner Bill Blumenreich told People that the comic has been in a “great mood” during rehearsals.

“He’s one of the nicest, funniest people you could ever meet in your life,” he said.

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Wanda Sykes thinks Will Smith should have been thrown out for ‘gross’ slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 19:33 , Isobel Lewis

Wanda Sykes has now spoken further on the on-stage altercation, saying that Chris Rock apologised to her and that she thought Will Smith should have been thrown out.

Appearing on Ellen on Wednesday, the Oscars host said that Rock had apologised for stealing her thunder, telling her: “‘It was supposed to be your night... I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.’”

You can read Sykes’s full comments below...

Wanda Sykes says Chris Rock apologised to her after being slapped by Will Smith

Wednesday 30 March 2022 18:59 , Isobel Lewis

Another figure to speak out on Chris Rock’s joke is interior designer Sheila Bridges, who starred in a 2009 documentary about alopecia titled Good Hair funded by Rock himself.

On Tuesday (29 March), Bridges reshared a clip to social media of her and Rock discussing the condition in an interview at the time.

“While I do not condone violence (or what Will Smith did), I am not completely surprised that Chris Rock got rocked by Will Smith after making the medical condition of @jadapinkettsmith part of his comedic schtick — disrespecting her publicly,” she wrote.

“Shame on you @chrisrock. Didn’t we sit down and talk at length about how painfully humiliating and difficult it is to navigate life as a bald woman in a society that is hair obsessed? As if life isn’t challenging enough out here as an unprotected black woman?”

Wanda Sykes comments on Smith/Rock drama

Wednesday 30 March 2022 18:00 , Isobel Lewis

Oscars presenter Wanda Sykes has now joined her co-host Amy Schumer and weighed in on the whole Will Smith slap fiasco.

The comedian presented Sunday night’s awards show and has now commented for the first time on what went down between Smith and comedian Chris Rock.

Read her comments below...

Oscars host Wanda Sykes says ‘violence is never the answer’ after Will Smith’s slap

Watch how Chris Rock reacted to Will Smith’s slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 17:08 , Isobel Lewis

New footage has emerged online showing Chris Rock in the moments after Will Smith jumped on stage to hit him at the Oscars.

The clip, which emerged on TikTok, shows a dazed looking Rock seeming unable to comprehend what’s just happened.

You can see the clip below...

Footage of Chris Rock in immediate aftermath of Will Smith Oscars slap shared online

Tim Allen says he would have ‘run ‘ from Will Smith

Wednesday 30 March 2022 16:30 , Sam Moore

Tim Allen has said he would have “run” from Will Smith if confronted on stage like Chris Rock was at the Oscars.

Taking to Twitter to discuss Smith slapping the comedian after Rock joked about his wife’s bald appearance, Allen criticised the Men in Black star.

The Toy Story actor wrote: “It’s not ok to come up on stage and hit a dude cause you don’t like the humor. It’s not ok at a comedy club, concert hall or hosting some cheeseball award show.”

The one-time stand-up comedian also said: “Chris Rock is a stand up comedian and a standup guy who carried on. I think I would have run.”

Chris Rock’s brother comments on Will Smith Oscars slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 15:30 , Isobel Lewis

Chris Rock’s brother and fellow comedian Tony has commented on Will Smith slapping his elder sibling.

During a Q&A with fans on Twitter, one asked if he accepted Smith’s apology and he simply replied “no”.

Rock was also asked who “hits harder Will or Jada boyfriend” and he replied “Mama Rock”.

The comedian, who has starred in a show produced by Will Smith, was also asked to give his opinion on the incident at the Oscars and bluntly answered “foul”.

Rock also urged his followers to watch his brother’s documentary, Good Hair: “Be sure to watch Good Hair since the narrative is now changed to all my bro does is disrespect women of colour.”

James Corden: Will Smith ‘can’t take a joke’ and Chris Rock ‘can take a punch’

Wednesday 30 March 2022 14:21 , Sam Moore

James Corden has said that Will Smith “can’t take a joke” after he slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The talk show host went on to praise how Rock handled the situation and said: “Seriously though, I applaud Chris Rock for recovering, keeping the show moving. It was an incredibly dignified response.”

Corden also joked: “Chris Rock can take a punch. A steel jaw. Unbelievable!”

Corden later parodied the incident later in the show by singing, “We don’t talk about Jada, no, no, no,” to the tune of the hit song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Oscar-winning Encanto.

Bafta say they would have removed Will Smith ‘from the building'

Wednesday 30 March 2022 13:07 , Sam Moore

Bafta have said that if Will Smith had slapped Chris Rock at their awards ceremony then he would have been removed from the building and not allowed to collect his award.

Sarah Putt, chair of Bafta’s television committee was asked what the organisation would do if something similar had happened at their awards. She replied: “They would be removed from the building. They would not be in the buildings, so they would not physically be able to collect their award.”

Emma Baehr, the executive director of awards and content for Bafta, also said: “We do not tolerate violence of any kind.”

Oscars co-host Amy Schumer ‘still traumatised’ over slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 12:05 , Maanya Sachdeva

Oscars co-host Amy Schumer has said she is “still triggered and traumatised” over Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

Schumer, who co-hosted the ceremony with Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall, also praised Rock for handling the altercation “like a pro”.

Writing that she was “proud of myself and my co-hosts”, Schumer told her Instagram followers on Wednesday (30 March) that she was “waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed”.

Read the full story here:

Oscars co-host Amy Schumer ‘still traumatised’ after Will Smith slap

‘Can’t take a joke, stay home’ – Katherine Ryan on Will Smith

Wednesday 30 March 2022 10:26 , Maanya Sachdeva

Katherine Ryan has opened up a discussion with her social media followers to speak about the shocking Oscars slap, with the comedian later sharing screenshots of their conversations to her Instagram stories.

In one screenshot, a social media user wrote to Ryan: “I don’t condone what he did, violence is never the answer but just because Chris is a ‘comedian’, it means Will has to sit and watch his wife be insulted? Chris shouldn’t have said it, Will shouldn’t have hit him.”

Ryan responded: “Yes, he has to sit and watch his wife be insulted, yes that’s the point of the celeb monologue.”

“Can’t take a joke, stay home,” she added.

You can read Annabel Nugent’s report here:

Katherine Ryan says Will Smith should have ‘stayed home’ if he ‘can’t take a joke’

Chris Rock ‘had no idea’ Jada Pinkett Smith had alopecia before Oscars

Wednesday 30 March 2022 09:13 , Maanya Sachdeva

While Chris Rock is yet to publicly acknowledge Will Smith’s apology for hitting him on live television, it has been said by a source, via TMZ , that Rock “had no idea” Jada Pinkett Smith has alopecia.

A source close to Rock has also claimed that the comedian and Smith are yet to speak to one another about the incident – despite rapper P Diddy’s earlier assertion that the two had made up after their shocking altercation.

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story:

Chris Rock ‘had no idea’ Jada Pinkett Smith had alopecia before the Oscars

Academy leadership promises ‘appropriate action’ against Will Smith

Wednesday 30 March 2022 07:37 , Maanya Sachdeva

The Academy has promised to determine the “appropriate action” against Will Smith over the “slap heard around the world”.

In a letter to its members, which was obtained by Variety, Academy leadership has said they were “upset and outraged” that Smith’s actions eclipsed what was meant to be a “celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past last year.”

Signed by president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, the letter read: “To be clear, we condemn Mr Smith’s actions that transpired Sunday night.”

Read the full story here:

‘Outraged’ Academy promises ‘appropriate action’ for Will Smith over Oscars slap

Police investigate drone sighting near Will Smith’s LA home

Wednesday 30 March 2022 06:17 , Maanya Sachdeva

Police personnel were called to investigate a drone sighting near Will Smith’s Los Angeles mansion two days after “The Slap.”

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office told news media that police arrived at Smith’s house after someone reported a drone flying through the neighbourhood. However, they declined to comment on whether the complaint was lodged by a member of the Smith family or a separate resident.

“We just sent that unit over there to try to locate the drone and see if there was a paparazzi or what was going on,” Deputy Lizette Salcon told Page Six.

Peony Hirwani has the full story:

Police called to Will Smith’s LA mansion over drone sighting

Zoë Kravitz is not impressed with The Slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 04:30 , Josh Marcus

The Batman star Zoë Kravitz is the latest celebrity to voice her displeasure at Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

The actress posted a photo to Instagram on Tuesday of herself on the red carpet, looking nonplussed.

“Here’s a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now,” she wrote.

Another Will Smith critic weighs in: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Wednesday 30 March 2022 04:00 , Josh Marcus

Scores of celebrities have voiced their opinion on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, with many offering harsh criticism of the King Richard actor’s behaviour.

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the latest to join the fray.

In a post Tuesday on his Substack blog, the former Los Angeles Laker big man wrote that, “When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock’s face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community.”

Here’s how others have reacted to The Slap.

Stars react to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars

Slap-happy: Twitter users keep tagging the wrong Will Smith over Oscars altercation

Wednesday 30 March 2022 03:21 , Josh Marcus

A man who shares the same name as Will Smith, and is verified on Twitter, has been the target of abuse on the social media platform since Sunday evening as users continue to mistake him for the King Richard actor.

Those upset by Sunday night’s events have been voicing their criticisms of Smith on Twitter.

Unfortunately, the actor does not appear to have a verified Twitter account, and social media users have been levelling their comments at a non-famous man who shares his name.

Will Smith, a podcast host who works in communications for video game developer Stray Bombay, wrote in a tweet on Sunday: “Real talk, I’m not the person you’re upset/happy with. I make podcasts and video games for a living.

Read more of Saman Javed’s story for Indy/Life.

Twitter users keep tagging the wrong Will Smith over Oscars incident with Chris Rock

What are our Voices columnists saying about The Slap?

Wednesday 30 March 2022 02:50 , Josh Marcus

Charles Arrowsmith explored how Will Smith’s past may help explain what happened.

What went wrong? Who can say. Smith writes in his memoir that his perfectionist obsession with success is born of insecurity. His was a childhood scarred by violence and a complicated relationship with an abusive father. His straight-edge, upbeat persona was not just the key to his early accomplishments in hip-hop, TV, and movies but also a defense mechanism. “I’d conflated being successful with being loved and being happy,” he writes. Perhaps seeing his wife being insulted at the moment he reached the pinnacle of his achievements was a knock he felt he simply couldn’t abide.

What Will Smith’s memoir tells us about his Oscars slap — and his teary apology

Meanwhile, Victoria Gagliardo-Silver considered the particular nastiness of Chris Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, given his past work on a documentary highlighting cultural stigmas around Black women’s appearances.

Chris Rock was uniquely positioned to be sensitive about this issue, which is what makes his joke even more difficult to understand. In 2009, he fronted a documentary called Good Hair that explored the ways in which Black women’s hair is stigmatized in western societies. At the time, he explained the reasoning for why he wanted to make the documentary, saying that his three-year-old daughter had asked him, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” That was supposedly a lightbulb moment for Rock, where he came to realize the pressure Black women are under to have hair that meets an unattainable standard.

Chris Rock made a documentary about Black women’s hair — then undermined everything

Oscars bartender shares behind-the-scenes insight into award ceremony: ‘Everybody stopped drinking after slap’

Wednesday 30 March 2022 02:21 , Josh Marcus

An Oscars bartender has shared insight into the star-studded awards ceremony, and which celebrities were the nicest at the 94th annual Academy Awards.

The Oscars took place on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in California, with the awards ceremony encompassing a number of notable moments, such as an incident which saw Will Smith smack Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

According to bartender Daniel Ralston, who reportedly worked the event, the moment led to shift in the atmosphere at the awards ceremony, as he claimed on Twitter that “everybody stopped drinking after the slap”.

“Bartended the Oscars. Everybody stopped drinking after the slap,” Ralston wrote on Twitter on 28 March.

Chelsea Ritschel has the details for Indy/Life.

Oscars bartender shares behind-the-scenes insight into award ceremony

Lest we forget: This was also Samuel L Jackson’s big night

Wednesday 30 March 2022 01:50 , Josh Marcus

Discussion around the Oscars has, not very shockingly, centered around Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, but some on Twitter are highlighting one of the lesser-told stories of the awards season: How legendary actor Samuel L Jackson finally won his Oscar.

The Pulp Fiction star was awarded a lifetime achievement award on Friday during a non-televised portion of the Oscars weekend.

Did Chris Rock suffer the curse of the Scottish Play? ‘Macbeth’ theory gains traction on Twitter

Wednesday 30 March 2022 01:20 , Josh Marcus

A day after Will Smith publicly slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, some on Twitter have a theory about what caused the comedian’s misfortune: he said “Macbeth.”

According to an old superstition, one must never utter the name of the Shakespeare character in a theatre, except to perform or rehearse a line from the play. Instead, the monarch must be referred to as “the Scottish king” or “the Scottish lord,” and the work itself as “the Scottish play.” Otherwise, one invites disaster.

And disaster certainly befell the 94th Academy Awards, where an enraged Smith walked onstage and struck Rock across the face, then returned to his seat and loudly cursed him out from there. Interestingly, the moment was almost immediately preceded by the comedian mentioning Macbeth.

“Denzel!” Rock called from the stage to Denzel Washington, who appeared last year in Joel Coen’s film adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy. “Macbeth! Loved it!”

Nathan Place has the story.

Twitter theorises that ‘Macbeth’ curse caused Chris Rock slap

Oscars audience soared by 550,000 after The Slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 01:00 , Josh Marcus

It might not have been in the plan, but Will Smith slapping Chris Rock gave the Oscars audience a big boost, according to television data.

The audience tuning into the Academy Awards jumped by roughly 550,000 to a total of 17.4 million people in the ten minutes after the slap, according to a New York Times analysis of Nielsen television numbers.

Still, that wasn’t the peak for the night. Nearly 17.7 viewers watched Troy Katsur, the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar, accept his award for best supporting actor earlier in the show.

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

‘Crazy for this one’: Customers react to Fashion Nova text reference to the Will Smith slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:40 , Josh Marcus

Fashion Nova has shocked its customers with a text message about a sale, which featured a reference to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock across the face at this year’s Oscars.

While onstage at the Dolby Theatre Sunday night, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, comparing her bald head to the character in the movie GI Jane. The joke was not well-received by Smith, as he walked onto the stage and slapped Rock across the face.

That following day, Fashion Nova sent out a text to its customers about a one-day sale, using the words “slapped” and “Rock,” in reference to the surprising Oscars incident, which has been shared on social media.

“Fashion Nova: We SLAPPED 40 per cent Off the ENTIRE Site!,” the text reads, posted via Twitter. “It’s Time To ROCK New Spring Looks…Today Only.”

Amber Raiken has more on this bizarre marketing scheme.

Customers react to Fashion Nova text referencing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

Ricky Gervais sounds off on whether Will Smith would’ve slapped him

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:19 , Josh Marcus

Seemingly everyone has aired their opinion already on how Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, so it should come as no surprise that comedian Ricky Gervais, who has made a career out of telling hair-raising jokes at awards ceremonies, has offered up his two cents.

It began when Spinal Tap actor Michael McKean on Tuesday posed a “thought experiment” on Twitter: “Same scene, same joke, but replace Chris Rock with Ricky Gervais.”

“You’re basically asking if he would slap a much heavier, angrier, drunker man,” the five-time Golden Globes host responded.

Daisy Maldonado has the full story for indy100.

Ricky Gervais responds to question asking whether Will Smith would have slapped him

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

A joke Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars in 2016 has resurfaced after Will Smith hit him during the latest ceremony.

During the ceremony, Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while he was presenting an award.

“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” Rock said, in seeming reference to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Last year, Pinkett Smith announced she had shaved her head after being diagnosed with alopecia.

But, a crude joke he made about Pinkett Smith in 2016 is being circulated online following the incident.

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story.

Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resurfaces after he’s hit by Will Smith

Tuesday 29 March 2022 23:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Read more here.

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over shock of Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 23:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Adam Sandler joins long list of celebrities defending Chris Rock

Support for Chris Rock continues in the aftermath of Sunday’s Oscars, with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler becoming the latest celebrity to defend the comedian.

Sandler, who has known Rock since the two joined Saturday Night Live together in 1990, tweeted out a plug for the comedian’s forthcoming Ego Death World Tour – presumably giving ticket sales a further boost.

The star of movies including Uncut Gems and Just Got With It, Sandler also wrote: “Love you buddy!”

Read the full story here:

Adam Sandler supports Chris Rock after Oscars drama

Tuesday 29 March 2022 22:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Chris Rock tickets sales surge in the wake of Will Smith slap

Chris Rock is due to kick off his comedy tour this week, returning to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a run of shows, before traveling across the US and UK for his Ego Death World Tour.

The on-stage incident between Will Smith and Rock appears to have boosted interest in the comedian’s tour, with ticket sales spiking following the Oscars on Sunday night.

Read more here.

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 22:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Was Chris Rock’s Jada Pinkett Smith joke scripted?

ABC executive Robb Mills has said that the comedian ad-libbed the GI Jane joke that prompted Best Actor awardee Will Smith to walk up to the stage and hit Rock.

He added that the Oscars productions team, including director Glenn Weiss, realised something was wrong when Rock swore on live television.

Read the full report here.

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

Tuesday 29 March 2022 21:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jada Pinkett Smith has shared her first social media post since her husband hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The post simply states the following words against a pale pink background: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”. Pinkett Smith did not add a caption to her post and has imposed restrictions on who can and cannot leave a comment underneath.

Her post follows after her husband’s statement apologising to Rock for his actions.

Read more here.

Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence after Will Smith hits Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 21:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert all commented on the Will Smith-Chris Rock slap on their respective late night shows.

Find out what they said here.

How late-night hosts reacted to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 20:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jim Carrey has responded to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The actor is among the latest in a line of celebrities who have weighed in on the dramatic moment, which took place after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, referring to her as “GI Jane”.

In an interview with CBS This Morning , Carrey expressed his disapproval of how the situation was handled,criticising his “standing ovation”.

He also suggested he believes Smith “should have been” arrested for the incident.

Read more here.

Jim Carrey says Will Smith ‘should have been’ arrested for hitting Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 20:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith has been called a “bully” and a “narcissist” by Entourage creator Doug Ellin after slapping Chris Rock.

Smith struck the comedian around the face at the oscars after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

The comedy writer wrote on Twitter argued that the moment stole the limelight from the evening’s winners.

He branded Smith “an overly sensitive out of control bully”.

Read more here.

Entourage creator calls Will Smith a ‘bully’ and a ‘narcissist’ after Chris Rock slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 19:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena whom Will Smith portrayed, speaks out on the altercation

Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams whom Will Smith portrayed in King Richard, has been asked about the star’s actions.

In a statement to NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defence.”

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 19:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

What did Denzel Washington say to Will Smith after he hit Chris Rock?

After the incident, Washington could be seen talking to Smith. Minutes later, when Smith won Best Actor for King Richard, Washington said something to the tearful actor from his seat.

This led Smith to discuss the moment discuss what piece of advice Washington had given him in the wake of the moment.

Read the full story here.

Tuesday 29 March 2022 18:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Has Chris Rock responded to Will Smith’s apology?

Hollywood has bene left reeling by the incident, which occurred at the 2022 Oscars.

Smith has issued an apology to the comedian – but many are wondering what Rock has said about the moment.

Has Chris Rock responded to Will Smith’s apology?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 18:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Read the full story here.

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over shock of Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 17:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Although the actor left Chris Rock out of his apologies on the night, Will Smith has issued a statement publicly saying sorry to the comedian.

“I would like to publicly apologise 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,” said Smith.

You can read the full apology here.

Read Will Smith’s full apology to Chris Rock

Judd Apatow backtracks earlier comments hitting out at Will Smith

Tuesday 29 March 2022 17:00 , Annabel Nugent

Judd Apatow has backtracked his previous comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock.

The Knocked Up filmmaker attracted widespread criticism for his since-deleted tweets, in which he strongly condemned Smith’s actions. In one post, Apatow said the actor “could have killed” the comedian.

He has since spoken further about his remarks during an appearance on SiriusXM, stating: “The truth is that I wasn’t watching the show at that time.”

Judd Apatow backtracks controversial comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

He also added that he did not view Rock’s joke – which compared Jada Pinkett Smith to Demi Moore’s character in 1997’s GI Jane – to be offensive to the actor.

“[GI Jane] was Demi Moore at her strongest, most gorgeous. And the point of that movie was that she shaved her head and she looked fantastic,” said Apatow, adding that he does not know “all the relationships involved”.

Entourage creator labels Will Smith a 'narcissist who made the entire night about himself’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 16:35 , Annabel Nugent

Entourage creator Doug Ellin has labelled Will Smith a “bully” and a “narcissist” for his actions.

The comedy writer wrote on Twitter: “Can’t believe anyone would defend Will. Gas lighting narcissist who made entire night about himself.”

He condemned Smith for taking the attention away from other accomplishments on the night.

Entourage creator calls Will Smith a ‘bully’ and a ‘narcissist’ after Chris Rock slap

“All about Will. All anyone will remember. An overly sensitive out of control bully,” he said.

“Not Questlove’s amazing speech, not the deaf actor from Coda who was awesome.”

Ellin added that “they would have shot Jesse Plemons if he did the same thing”.

Jada Pinkett-Smith appears to address the Oscars incident

Tuesday 29 March 2022 16:21 , Annabel Nugent

Jada Pinkett Smith has shared her first social media post since her husband hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The post simply states the following words against a pale pink background: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”.Pinkett Smith did not add a caption to her post and has imposed restrictions on who can and cannot leave a comment underneath.

Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence after Will Smith hits Chris Rock

Her post follows after her husband’s statement apologising to Rock for his actions.

Chris Rock previously made fun of Jada Pinkett Smith during the 2016 Oscars

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:53 , Annabel Nugent

In the wake of the on-stage incident, a previous Oscars joke that Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith has resurfaced.

In 2016, when he presented the ceremony that had been boycott due to its lack of diversity, Rock said: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”

Pinkett Smith addressed the dig the following week, telling X17 that “it comes with the territory”.

You can read about Rock’s 2016 joke and Pinkett Smith’s response in full below.

Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resurfaces after he’s hit by Will Smith

Why Will Smith’s expletive-filled outburst was censored in the US – but nowhere else

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:38 , Annabel Nugent

ABC successfully censored Will Smith’s expletive-ridden outburst in the US – but international audiences leaked the raw footage only moments later.

The network’s feed was on a customary 20-second delay in order to allow producers time to bleep swears words or cut scenes that may potentially violate Federal Communications Commission guidelines.

The audio of Smith yelling “keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth” was censored in the US.

International networks, however, were broadcasting raw footage from the awards show to global audiences who witnessed the scenes uncensored.

Within seconds, US audiences were able to view the unedited moment after viewers in other countries shared clips of the incident on social media.

Jimmy Kimmel says he ‘hoped’ Chris Rock was unaware of Jada Pinkett Smith’s struggles with alopecia before he made the joke

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:00 , Annabel Nugent

Jimmy Kimmel was one of many late night hosts to comment on the dramatic moment.

The presenter used the opportunity to congratulate Oscars co-hosts Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer on the night, writing that he hopes their accomplishments aren’t “overshadowed by the unpleasantness”.

Jimmy Kimmel comments on dramatic Oscars incident with Chris Rock

He later said that he “hoped” that Rock did not know about Pinkett Smith’s struggles with alopecia before making the joke about her shaved head.

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena whom Will Smith portrayed, speaks out on the altercation

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:45 , Annabel Nugent

Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams whom Will Smith portrayed in King Richard, has been asked about the star’s actions.

In a statement to NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defence.”

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Will Smith jokes ‘you can’t invite people from Philly nowhere’ shortly after Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:30 , Annabel Nugent

Will Smith joked that “you can’t invite people from Philly nowhere” shortly after slapping Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

The actor commented the joke on his own Instagram post of himself and Jada Pinkett Smith, which he had shared before the ceremony.

Will Smith addresses Chris Rock Oscars drama on Instagram

Will Smith filmed dancing at the Oscars after party hours after slapping Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:25 , Annabel Nugent

Hours after the altercation and his teary-eyed apology, Smith was filmed enjoying himself at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty.

Variety’s executive editor Ramin Setoodeh shared footage from the event of Smith dancing to his 1997 hit single “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It”. The actor was also pictured posing with fans for photos at the event.

Will Smith filmed dancing to his own music at Oscars party after hitting Chris Rock

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:10 , Annabel Nugent

Moments after slapping Chris Rock in the face, Will Smith took to the stage to accept the Best Actor award for his lead role in King Richard.

The award is Smith’s first ever Oscar. He was previously nominated for 2002’s Ali and 2007’s The Pursuit of Happyness.

In the wake of the incident, however, fans are questioning whether the star could be stripped of the accolade.

Speculation has been fuelled by the Academy’s announcement that it has launched “a formal review” to “explore further action and consequences” for Smith.

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar for hitting Chris Rock?

Regina Hall poked fun at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage before Chris Rock incident

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:50 , Annabel Nugent

Prior to the altercation, Regina Hall – who hosted the Oscars alongside Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer – made a joke poking fun at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage.

You can read about the joke below.

Regina Hall makes fun of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage in Oscars skit

The pair made headlines after a 2020 episode of Pinkett Smith’s show, Red Table Talk, in which she revealed that she had an “entanglement” with singer August Alsina while she was married.

Last September, Will confessed that there was a point where they decided not to have a monogamous relationship, as they were “both miserable and clearly something had to change”.

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:40 , Annabel Nugent

Although the actor left Chris Rock out of his apologies on the night, Will Smith has issued a statement publicly saying sorry to the comedian.

“I would like to publicly apologise 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,” said Smith.

You can read the full apology here.

Read Will Smith’s full apology to Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:24 , Annabel Nugent

It’s fair to say that Will Smith slapping Chris Rock has emerged as the biggest talking point of this year’s Oscars ceremony.

In an effort to recall the night’s other memorable moments, fans have been taking to Twitter to share highlights that were overshadowed by the incident.

One such moment was Samuel L Jackson receiving his first ever golden statuette, which was presented to him by Denzel Washington.

Chris Rock tickets sales surge in the wake of Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:14 , Annabel Nugent

Chris Rock is due to kick off his comedy tour this week, returning to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a run of shows, before traveling across the US and UK for his Ego Death World Tour.

The on-stage incident between Will Smith and Rock appears to have boosted interest in the comedian’s tour, with ticket sales spiking following the Oscars on Sunday night (27 March).

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Ticket marketplace site TickPick tweeted that it sold more tickets to Rock’s tour in the night following the Oscars than it did in the entire month preceding.

Judd Apatow backtracks earlier remarks stating Will Smith could have ‘killed’ Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 12:52 , Annabel Nugent

Judd Apatow has clarified his opinion on the Will Smith-Chris Rock incident after his earlier comments attracted widespread criticism.

Shortly after the on-stage incident occurred, the Knocked Up filmmaker took to Twitter to condemn the actor’s actions, claiming that Smith could have “killed” Rock.

Apatow has since backtracked the remarks in an interview with SiriusXM.

Judd Apatow backtracks controversial comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

“I don’t know all the relationships involved,” said the director.

Adam Sandler joins long list of celebrities defending Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 11:30 , Maanya Sachdeva

Support for Chris Rock continues in the aftermath of Sunday’s Oscars, with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler becoming the latest celebrity to defend the comedian.

Sandler, who has known Rock since the two joined Saturday Night Live together in 1990, tweeted out a plug for the comedian’s forthcoming Ego Death World Tour – presumably giving ticket sales a further boost.

The star of movies including Uncut Gems and Just Got With It, Sandler also wrote: “Love you buddy!”

Read the full story here:

Adam Sandler supports Chris Rock after Oscars drama

Oscars producer calls Will Smith slap ‘very painful moment for me'

Tuesday 29 March 2022 11:15 , Maanya Sachdeva

The producer of the 94th Academy Awards, Will Packer, has addressed the backlash to one of his tweets about the Will Smith slap, revealing that the altercation was “very painful” for him to watch.

Shortly after the dramatic ceremony was concluded, Packer, 47, tweeted: “Welp... I said it wouldn’t be boring #Oscars”

After social media users criticised the producer for “making jokes about an assault that happened during your show”, Packer shared his “transparent thoughts” about seeing Smith strike comedian Chris Rock onstage during the show’s live broadcast.

“Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it,” he wrote on Twitter, addressing those that had objected to his original tweet.

“I don’t feel the need to elucidate that for you,” Packer continued, adding, “But I also don’t mind being transparent and say that this was a very painful moment for me. On many levels.”

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 10:45 , Maanya Sachdeva

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Annabel Nugent has the full story:

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over Chris Rock Oscars slap

Alan Davies ‘sticks up’ for Chris Rock amid Oscars storm

Tuesday 29 March 2022 09:46 , Maanya Sachdeva

Alan Davies has expressed solidarity with Chris Rock over the Oscars incident that has drawn outrage and shock from celebrities around the world.

The British comedian said he will “stick up for the comic” in an interview with BBC Breakfast, adding he didn’t think Rock intended to reference Jada Pinkett Smith’s medical condition onstage at the Academy Awards.

However, he added, Smith’s reaction was not ‘in any way reasonable’.

Read the full story here:

Alan Davies ‘sticks up’ for Chris Rock over ‘unreasonable’ Will Smith Oscars slap

Screen Actors Guild condemns ‘unacceptable’ Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 08:28 , Maanya Sachdeva

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has condemned “the incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock” at the 94th Academy Awards, calling it “unacceptable”.

The union representing presenters and other performers who work on the Oscars in an online statement said: “Violence or physical abuse in the workplace is never appropriate and the [SAG-AFTRA] condemns any such conduct.”

The industry body also revealed it had contacted the Academy after Smith struck Rock onstage over a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett to ensure the Best Actor winner’s behaviour is “properly addressed”.

Was Chris Rock’s Jada Pinkett Smith joke scripted?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 07:36 , Ellie Harrison

ABC executive Robb Mills has said that the comedian ad-libbed the GI Jane joke that prompted Best Actor awardee Will Smith to walk up to the stage and hit Rock.

He added that the Oscars productions team, including director Glenn Weiss, realised something was wrong when Rock swore on live television.

Read the full report from Maanya Sachdeva here...

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

Musical parody of the slap incident goes viral

Tuesday 29 March 2022 07:03 , Ellie Harrison

Britain’s most opportunistic comedian Munya Chawawa has made a musical parody of the Will Smith/Chris Rock altercation, blending in references to Men in Black, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”.

See the full story below...

Munya Chawawa’s musical parody of Will Smith’s Oscars slap goes viral

Comedian Jeff Ross praises ‘class act’ Chris Rock over Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 06:55 , Maanya Sachdeva

American comedian Jeff Ross has said Chris Rock’s restraint after the Will Smith incident at the 2022 Oscars was a “class act”.

Ross commented on the incident in a lengthy Instagram statement, writing that he “worships Chris Rock” and was moved to tears when he saw “Smith attack” Rock.

“I was watching my idol live out a comedian’s worst nightmare on live television,” Ross continued, referencing Smith hitting Rock over a joke he made about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith during the live Oscars ceremony.

“Rock should get a Nobel peace prize for keeping his hands down and not escalating the situation. Class act,” Ross added.

Peony Hirwani has the full report here:

Jeff Ross praises Chris Rock for his ‘class act’ at the Oscars

Alec Baldwin compares Oscars to Jerry Springer Show over Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 05:59 , Maanya Sachdeva

Alec Baldwin has compared this year’s Academy Awards to The Jerry Springer Show after Will Smith hit Chris Rock during the ceremony.

The actor, who currently faces multiple lawsuits over Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death last year, came out in support of Rock on Twitter and Instagram on Monday.

“I’m not reading much about how, or even if, the producers attended to Chris. But I love you, Chris Rock,” Baldwin wrote.

“I’m sorry the Oscars turned into The Jerry Springer Show,” the 63-year-old actor continued, comparing the Oscars to the tabloid talk show hosted by British-American television personality Gerald Norman Springer.

LAPD right not to investigate Will Smith over Oscars slap – experts

Tuesday 29 March 2022 05:20 , Maanya Sachdeva

Legal experts say the Los Angeles Police Department is right not to investigate Will Smith for hitting Chris Rock – especially since the comedian declined to press charges against Smith.

Criminal defence attorney Alan Jackson told the LA Times that the only charge which could be brought against Smith would be misdemeanour battery since Rock wasn’t injured and no weapons were used. However, Jackson continued, to be arrested on misdemeanour, the offence needs to “happen in front of the authorities”.

American law school professor Laurie Levenson told the paper that “not every bad act becomes a criminal case”.

“I don’t think anybody is sanctioning or anybody is saying what Will Smith did is appropriate,” she said.

Chris Rock ticket prices hiked after Will Smith Oscars slap - reports

Tuesday 29 March 2022 04:56 , Maanya Sachdeva

Ticket-selling site TickPick announced it had sold more Chris Rock tickets “overnight than we did in the past month combined” after the comedian was slapped by Will Smith on stage at the Oscars on Sunday (27 March).

Rock had announced his new “Ego Death World Tour” last month on Instagram, promising his fans “all new material” that is both very “personal and funny”.

Ticket prices for Rock’s show were also hiked after the Oscars incident, according to media reports. Tickets for a table at the comedian’s forthcoming show in Boston’s Wilbur Theatre on Friday were up over £76, Newsweek reported.

Tom Murray has the full story:

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 02:00 , Chris Baynes

It was the unbelievable Oscar twist that no-one saw coming... unless you’re Twitter user @_ja_s_on_ that is.

A tweet originally shared in 2016 went viral in the wake of last night’s events, for seemingly “predicting” the incident with Chris Rock.

The twitter user re-shared the tweet, which made speculative reference to Smith hitting Rock in the face, in the wake of last night’s events, alongside the caption: “Well…”

His reaction has since gone viral on the social media site, being “liked” over half a million times.

Richard Williams responds to Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 01:30 , Chris Baynes

The real-life tennis coach portrayed by Will Smith in his latest Oscar-winning performance has distanced himself from the film star’s on-stage skirmish with Chris Rock at the awards ceremony.

Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis titans Venus and Serena Williams, was the subject of last year’s biopic King Richard, for which Smith won the Oscar award for best male actor.

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Mr Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

On Monday, however, in a statement NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Mr Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense.”

Io Dodds has the full story here:

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

‘Embarrassed’ Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock over Oscars slap: ‘I was out of line and I was wrong’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 00:46 , Chris Baynes

Will Smith has apologised for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

“I was out of line and I was wrong,” read a statement on Monday from the actor addressed to Rock, the Motion Picture Academy, and others including his fellow cast and crew on King Richard.

Josh Marcus has the story:

Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock for Oscars slap: ‘I was out of line’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 00:01 , Louis Chilton

While the Best Actor win itself was understandably overshadowed by other events, many Oscar viewers may be curious about the film that gave Smith his win, King Richard.

The film is available to stream on Virgin TV Go in the UK, and on HBO Max in the US.

In it, Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of aspiring tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams – both of whom were in attendance at the Oscars yesterday.

Read Clarisse Loughrey’s four-star review of the film below...

Will Smith is a true movie star in King Richard – review

Monday 28 March 2022 23:00 , Louis Chilton

It may have hurt at the time, but Smith’s slap may have inadvertently signalled some good news for presenter Chris Rock.

Ticket sales for Rock’s forthcoming stand-up tour have reportedly skyrocketed, with ticket selling site TickPick announcing on Twitter exactly how in-demand his new show is.

“We sold more tickets to see Chris Rock overnight than we did in the past month combined,” revealed the company.

British fans of the comedian may be happy to learn that Rock is set to perform a number of UK dates in May as part of the tour.

Monday 28 March 2022 22:00 , Louis Chilton

With all the talk on Will Smith’s headline-grabbing altercation, the actual winners from last night’s Oscars have rather been swept under the rug.

But the Oscars ceremony saw a number of historic wins in several categories, including Ariana DeBose, who became the first openly queer woman of colour to win an award for acting, after picking up Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story.

Troy Kotsur also became the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar, after he was recognised for his supporting turn in the eventual Best Picture winner Coda.

You can click here for a list of all the winners from the ceremony.

Or you can read below for a rundown of the night’s biggest talking points...

The 6 biggest talking points from this year’s dramatic Oscars ceremony

Monday 28 March 2022 20:56 , Louis Chilton

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced it is opening an investigation into Will Smith’s conduct during last night’s ceremony.

In a fresh statement issued by the awards body, it “condemned” Smith’s actions, and said an investigation was being launched into prospective sanctions.

“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show,” said the organisation.

“We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”

What form the “consequences” shall take remain to be seen.

Read the full story here...

Emergency meeting called as Oscars look into Will Smith ‘consequences’

Monday 28 March 2022 20:00 , Louis Chilton

Piers Morgan has given his two cents on the whole Smith incident (surprise, surprise), and detailed an encounter he allegedly had with the actor while interviewing Jada Pinkett Smith back in 2011.

“My first encounter with him was unnerving,” wrote the former Good Morning Britain host.

“Before we started, he warned me: ‘Don’t upset my wife, Mr Morgan, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry,’” Morgan claimed.

The comments came as part of a column in which he came to the defence of Smith, describing in detail his interaction with the actor and praising Smith’s relationship with his wife.

Read the full story below...

Piers Morgan claims Will Smith told him ‘don’t upset my wife’ in ‘unnerving’ meeting

Monday 28 March 2022 19:00 , Louis Chilton

Whoopi Goldberg has weighed in on Smith’s altercation on the US talk show The View, shutting down speculation that the actor could have his Best Actor win revoked.

Goldberg, who is a serving Governer for the Academy’s Actors branch, said: “I think it was a lot of stuff probably built up.

“I think he overreacted… I think he had one of those moments where it was like [God damn] it, just stop. I get it, not everybody acts the way we would like them to act under pressure. And he snapped.”

After her The View co-host Sunny Hostin wondered aloud whether Smith’s trophy could be taken away, the Sister Act star said: “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him.”

Read the full story below...

Whoopi Goldberg reacts to Will Smith slap: ‘We’re not going to take his Oscar’

Monday 28 March 2022 18:00 , Louis Chilton

Writer Joyce Carol Oates has weighed in on the Will Smith drama at length in a series of tweets.

The Black Water novelist wrote: “Will Smith behaving impulsively when his wife was insulted is very Hollywood-movie of a bygone era when such incidents would be cheered as valiant & chivalrous.

“Inappropriate behaviour but met with surpassing aplomb & generosity by Chris Rock. Impressive professionalism & a concern for the Oscars to be yet awarded. in a way, a model of behaviour in confrontation with sudden, unscripted violence. Chris Rock’s magnanimity will prevail.”

“Ricky Gervais must be shaking his head in wonderment of how he’d escaped a whipping or two in the past,” she joked.

Monday 28 March 2022 17:01 , Isobel Lewis

It was only a matter of time, but Ricky Gervais appears to have commented on last night’s Will Smith drama.

The comedian and five-time Golden Globes host retweeted a clip from The Office in which David Brent discusses alopecia, the hair loss condition that Jada Pinkett Smith has and Chris Rock seemed to reference on stage.

As the show aired, Gervais also tweeted a fan an example of the kind of opening speech he would have done, had he been hosting the ceremony. You can read the full joke below...

Ricky Gervais appears to comment on Will Smith Oscars drama

Monday 28 March 2022 16:35 , Isobel Lewis

If you want reassuring that celebrities love a good goss as much as the rest of us, then check out this incredible picture from the Vanity Fair after party.

Tweeted by YouTube’s head of fashion and beauty Derek Blasberg, the photo shows a group of celebs huddled around a phone as they hear what’s happened on stage between Will Smith and Chris Rock.

Pictured are Katie McGrath, Jason Bateman, Taika Waititi, JJ Abrams, Ron Howard, Oli Green, Sienna Miller, Sarah Paulson and Amanda Anka, with Waititi gazing at the camera in mock horror while Miller leans forward to get a better look.

Monday 28 March 2022 16:15 , Isobel Lewis

As if we didn’t all have enough to talk about post-Academy Awards, people have been left seriously baffled by Liam Payne’s accent.

The former One Direction star hails from Wolverhampton, but left fans scratching their heads when he appeared on Good Morning Britain from the Elton John Foundation Oscars afterparty on Monday morning.

Journalist Josh Knapman wrote: “Will Smith smacked Chris Rock so hard, Liam Payne’s accent changed.”

You can read more of the funniest tweets below...

Oscars viewers baffled by Liam Payne’s accent in rambling interview

Monday 28 March 2022 15:55 , Isobel Lewis

After all that drama, things might be looking OK for Will Smith and Chris Rock.

According to Diddy, who presented another award during the night, the whole saga is “over”.

The rapper said that the pair had patched things up, adding: “That’s not a problem. That’s over... It’s all love. They’re brothers.”

Read more below...

P Diddy claims Will Smith and Chris Rock made amends after Oscars

Monday 28 March 2022 15:35 , Isobel Lewis

One of Hollywood’s hottest couples made their red carpet debut last night.

Michael B Jordan and model Lori Harvey were seen at Vanity Fair’s Oscars after party together.

The couple have been dating since 2020.

Monday 28 March 2022 14:55 , Isobel Lewis

As viewers from the US wake up on Monday, we’re beginning to see even more reactions to The Slap.

Over on Good Morning America, presenter George Stephanopoulos described the altercation as “something that we’ve never seen before”.

Correspondent TJ Holmes said that the moment was “awful”, adding: “It was ugly, it was embarrassing, it was confusing.”

He continued: “This was awful, unfortunate and out of character behavior from Will Smith who we’ve all spent a whole lot of time with over the years.”

“No excuse for violence,” Stephanopoulos added.

Rachel Zegler made it to the Oscars after all – and got her fangirl moment

Monday 28 March 2022 14:35 , Isobel Lewis

Among all the drama, it’s nice to know that even celebrities still have fangirl moments.

Rachel Zegler, who last week made her own headlines after not initially being invited to attend with Best Picture nominee West Side Story, presented an award during Sunday night’s show.

The 20-year-old also posed for a selfie with Andrew Garfield and shared a video to Twitter as she embraced Penélope Cruz.

“DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN,” she captioned the post. We promise you, it did!

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar?

Monday 28 March 2022 14:15 , Isobel Lewis

Obviously, Will Smith’s slap is what most people are talking about post-Oscars. Which begs the question: could Smith lose his long-awaited Oscar over it?

Back in 2017, the Academy released their code of conduct, in which they explained what it takes to be a member.

You can read their guidelines below...

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar for hitting Chris Rock?

A celebration of Best Picture winner Coda

Monday 28 March 2022 13:55 , Ellie Harrison

What with all the slapping going on, it’s easy to forget that there were lots of winners at the ceremony. The biggest winner of the night was Coda. Read about why it deserved its recognition here...

Why feel-good favourite CODA was the right Best Picture Oscar winner

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website