Oscars 2022: The Academy Speaks Out After Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock on Live TV

etonline.com:

Will Smith abruptly took the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday. The moment came just after Rock had taken a dig at Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, saying, «Jada, I love ya.

G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it.»Pinkett Smith has been open about her struggles with alopecia, an autoimmune disorder which causes bald spots and hair loss.

Moments later, Smith walked onto the stage and gave Rock an open-handed slap to his cheek. Smith then walked offstage and cursed at Rock from his seat, yelling, «Leave my wife's name out of your f**king mouth.»Shortly after, Smith took home his first-ever Oscar for his leading role in, and took a moment to apologize to the Academy. «I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees,» he said during his speech. «Art imitates life, I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams.

Love will make you do crazy things… Thank you to the Academy, I hope you will have me back.»As for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization's official account tweeted following the incident. «The Academy does not condone violence of any form,» read the statement. «Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.»The Academy does not condone violence of any form.