Richard E Grant references Will Smith’s Oscars slap as he opens BAFTAs

Katie Reul editor “Saturday Night Live” cast member Colin Jost, co-anchor of Weekend Update, levied a jab at the Academy for this week’s decision to hire a “crisis team” for the upcoming 2023 Oscars. Devised to ensure first-line responders are available at the awards show in the case of an emergency, the newly-implemented team comes on the heels of last year’s tumultuous ceremony. The 2022 Oscars saw actor Will Smith slap presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife. The violent outburst resulted in Smith being banned from events hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for the next decade. “Guys, it’s not going to happen again,” Jost joked, seeming to address the telecast’s producers. “I’m sure you wish it would, for ratings. If anything the promo should be, ‘Who’s going to get slapped this year?’ Can Ana de Armas beat the ‘Tar’ out of Cate Blanchett? Which banshee will knock the shoes off Marcel the Shell? And who has what it takes to ‘Whale’ on Brendan Fraser?”

Katie Reul editor Will Smith won the NAACP Image Award for outstanding actor in a motion picture for his performance in “Emancipation” on Saturday night, marking his first award win since his infamous incident at the 2022 Oscars in which he slapped Chris Rock onstage. Smith was not present at the ceremony to accept his award in person. Set in 19th century Louisiana, Smith portrays a runaway slave who embarks on a treacherous journey to Baton Rouge while thwarting off violent plantation owners. “Emancipation” was inspired by an 1863 photograph known as “Whipped Peter,” which depicts a once-enslaved individual with severe lacerations on his back. The image’s circulation placed the brutality of slavery in front of the eyes of the American public.

Rihanna wowed the audience at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona with her spectacular halftime show at the Super Bowl. The singer made a grand return to the stage and took the opportunity to reveal her second pregnancy.

Academy Awards draw closer, the most famous performance of Will Smith’s career is being reexamined. No, we’re not talking about his work on “Ali” and “King Richard,” we’re talking about “The Slap,” that iconic moment where Smith marched onstage, slapped Chris Rock, and won an Oscar for best actor minutes later. After a year of penance and practically no media presence, Smith is back online and is poking fun at the moment on TikTok.The 8 biggest pop culture moments of the yearOscars 2023: Jimmy Kimmel teases the Oscars, makes fun of ‘the slap’The video is a duet, featuring Smith’s reaction to another TikTok video.

Academy Awards prepares to celebrate its 95th year, the prestigious awards show isn't without its fair share of scandal.Long before the headline-making slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the 2022 broadcast, there have been numerous scandals and controversies to come out of the Oscars.From reading out the wrong winner to cringe-worthy hosts and unwanted onstage PDA, ET is looking back at the most controversial moments in Oscars history:Will Smith's Oscars SlapIn arguably the biggest scandal to ever come out of the awards show, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head during the 2022 broadcast. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia.

Academy Awards prepares to celebrate its 95th year, the prestigious awards show isn't without its fair share of scandal.Long before the headline-making slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the 2022 broadcast, there have been numerous scandals and controversies to come out of the Oscars.From reading out the wrong winner to cringe-worthy hosts and unwanted onstage PDA, ET is looking back at the most controversial moments in Oscars history:Will Smith's Oscars SlapIn arguably the biggest scandal to ever come out of the awards show, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head during the 2022 broadcast. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia.

95th Academy Awards, a move enacted in wake of the slap heard and seen 'round the world.Glenn Weiss, a veteran live events director and multi EMMY-winning producer who will executive produce the March 12 ceremony, spoke to ET about the reasoning for the plan's implementation. While Weiss didn't directly reference Will Smith slapping Oscars presenter Chris Rock during last year's ceremony — a controversy that continues to reverberate -- the 61-year-old producer said the crisis team is another safety layer.«We go in with a really good plan for the known,» Weiss tells ET, «but you have to be ready for what may transpire with what you didn't plan.»If anyone's prepared for the unknown it's Weiss, as well as host Jimmy Kimmel, who has not only hosted multiple Oscar shows but is also comfortable in front of a live audience.

The Oscars are making sure they’re prepared for everything this year.

The working week is over once more, which means some exciting new content has dropped on streaming services. If you’re at a loss for what films and TV shows you can sink your teeth into this week, we’ve done the leg work for you.

Will Smith walk on stage to slap Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.Little has – despite the wave of criticism they have received for years with various concerns  – also caused such an urge to change things within the way things work than the shocking incident.In the aftermath, which included a hiatus for the King Richard actor and a 10-year ban from attending the annual awards, the Academy has rolled out a series of new measures to make sure everything goes far more smoothly.WATCH: Will Smith reappears months after Chris Rock Oscars slap to answer difficult questions and issue apologiesMORE: Will Smith pays heartfelt tribute to daughter Willow with unseen family photosAs the Academy continues to grapple with the fallout of the several controversies they have faced in recent years, they have decided to incorporate a "crisis team" into their organization to be on high alert during the show and beyond.Speaking with TIME, the Academy's CEO, Bill Kramer – who only became the organization's leader last July – detailed what measures would be in place should a surprise crisis arise in the middle of the show.MORE: Will Chris Rock attend the 2023 Oscars?When asked how they are preparing, the entertainment executive first praised their choice of host, Jimmy Kimmel, as someone who is more than adept at handling live television. The star has since apologized for the incidentSpeaking of the newly founded crisis team, he said: "We have a whole crisis team, something we've never had before, and many plans in place."DISCOVER: Taylor Kinney rocks bright red lipstick in first pictures after Chicago Fire departureDISCOVER: The Rookie star Nathan Fillion's secret struggle with ongoing condition revealedHe added: "We've run many scenarios.

Academy chief executive Bill Kramer says that a “crisis team” will be introduced for the first time at this year’s Oscars to prepare for any unanticipated events. Mr Kramer said the team had run “many scenarios” ahead of the 95th Academy Awards, which is due to take place on March 12 and be hosted by US comedian Jimmy Kimmel. It comes after unprecedented scenes at last year’s ceremony, which saw actor Will Smith storm the stage and slap presenter Chris Rock.

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in a shocking moment that overshadowed Hollywood’s biggest night, TMZ reported Wednesday. The outlet cited unidentified Academy insiders who reportedly said the designated team will be able to spring into action at the March 12 ceremony if things go awry.“We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place,” the sources allegedly told TMZ. “We’ve run many scenarios.

After a stellar debut last year, Bel-Air — Peacock’s reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air that featured Will Smith — returns Feb. 23 with a new showrunner, new supporting cast members, and an unexpected challenge: how does the Banks Family persuade a young Will Smith (Jabari Banks) to move back into their fancy mansion?

Zack Sharf The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer confirmed in an interview with Time magazine that the organization has implemented a new “crisis team” for the upcoming 2023 Oscars in order to quickly navigate any potential real-time emergency. The creation of a crisis team is a response to the 2022 Oscars, where Will Smith infamously walked on stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face. Academy president Janet Yang previously said the group’s response to the incident was not swift enough. “We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place,” Kramer said. “We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

Movie Academy CEO Bill Kramer said there is “a whole crisis team” in place for the Academy Awards next — a first for the ceremony in its 95 years.

Will Smith caused a major controversy when he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Despite all the backlash he received after the incident, Smith is now joking about it in a new video he shared to TikTok. In the video, he showed himself listening to another TikTok creator explaining "an absolutely unhinged exercise." As he listened thoughtfully, the other person said, "Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it and ask it what it thinks of you?" She explained that after doing this, "You will get an answer in your mind from intuition." As she gave examples of what kind of objects you could use for this exercise, Smith looked off to the side, out of view of his camera.

Will Smith has surprised fans with an “unexpected” Oscars joke on TikTok.The actor has been dealing with the fallout of last year’s Oscars, in which he walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Moments later, Smith picked up the Best Actor award.Smith, who has since received a 10-year ban from the award ceremony, has subsequently been relatively quiet on social media.

“duet” with a TikTok user who prompts others on the app to ask an inanimate object what it thinks of you.“This works because everything has consciousness,” reads the caption of the original video by TikToker Sam Rossi.“You can pick up a pen and ask it how it sees you or what it thinks of you,” she continued, “and you will get an answer in your mind from your intuition. You can ask your car what it thinks of you, you can even ask money what it thinks of you.”In the duet, the 54-year-old actor reaches off camera to pick up an Academy Award for Best Actor, which he won for his role in “King Richard” during that fateful ceremony.He looks as though he’s about to ask his golden statue a question just before he ends the video — which has 112,500 likes and 1.6 million views as of Wednesday morning.Smith slapped 94th Academy Awards host Chris Rock, 58, after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair — which Smith took as a jab at his 51-year-old wife’s struggle with alopecia.

the video (which you can watch below). “Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it and ask it what it thinks of you?”The woman used a pen, one’s car or money as an example, and said that the one conducting the exercise will get an answer in their mind from their intuition.At the end of this explanation, Smith picked up his Oscar that he won for “King Richard.” Users reacted to the video in different ways, some praising Smith for his humanity.

Will Smith is seemingly hinting at his Oscars slap drama with Chris Rock in a new video shared to TikTok. Smith took to the social media platform to do a TikTok duet with @missmoneyworking.In the quick clip, Smith intently listens to the user before jumping in to give his own two cents.«I'm gonna tell you something, f**king crazy,» @missmoneyworking tells the camera.

The “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” remake is on its way, but it might take some time to get it just right, Kevin Hart has confirmed.

Organisers behind this year’s BAFTAs have addressed criticism over the absence of late actor Bernard Cribbins in its ‘in memoriam’ tribute section.

Will Smith is a doting father-of-three and loves nothing more than being a dad. The Hollywood star gave a glimpse into his relationship with his only daughter Willow, 22, this week, as he shared several never-before-seen photos of them together.MOST READ: Inside Kelly Ripa's public fallout with Michael StrahanThese included one of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor with Willow as a little girl, and another of the pair hugging outside, wearing coordinating black outfits.In the caption, he wrote: "That daddy/daughter thing is real!"VIDEO: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's love story revealedThe Whip My Hair hitmaker was one of the first to reply to the sweet tribute, simply with a love heart eye emoji.MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith showcases blossoming baby bump in throwback photoMORE: Will Smith left in disbelief over drastic change to daughter Willow's appearanceWill's rare family-related social media post comes just a month ahead of the infamous Oscars incident, which saw him slap Chris Rock at the awards ceremony after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith alopecia.The turn of events resulted in Will receiving a ten-year ban from any Academy Award events.A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)Will Smith paid a heartfelt tribute dedicated to his daughter Willow SmithThe Fresh Prince actor reflected on the situation in an interview with Trevor Noah back in November, saying: "There’s many nuances and complexities to it.

Oscars slap in his opening speech at the BAFTAs 2023.During the ceremony on Tuesday (February 19) at London’s Royal Festival Hall, the actor, who hosted the ceremony alongside Alison Hammond, told the crowd: “Nobody on my watch gets slapped tonight – except on the back.”The joke refers to the moment Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, during last year’s Oscars.Following a number of apologies after the incident, Smith resigned from the Academy and was later banned from attending all Academy events for 10 years.In July last year, Smith posted an apology video to address questions surrounding the incident. “I’ve reached out to Chris [Rock] and the message that came back is he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out.”All Quiet On The Western Front led the winners at the BAFTAs, picking up seven awards including Best Film and Film Not In The English Language.The Banshees Of Inisherin, which was nominated for 10 awards, went onto win four trophies including Supporting Actress for Kerry Condon and Supporting Actor for Barry Keoghan.Other winners include Austin Butler, who won Leading Actor for Elvis, and Cate Blanchett who won Leading Actress for TÁR.

Sex Education stars Emma Mackey and Aimee Lou Wood sent fans wild with their friendship goals at the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday 19 February. During the star-studded ceremony, Emma, 27, won the EE Rising Star Award after being nominated alongside Sheila Atim, Daryl McCormack, Naomi Ackie and Aimee, 29.

EE BAFTAs viewers have called for Alison Hammond to host the Oscars after her huge success at Sunday night's ceremony. Bubbly TV presenter Alison, 48, hosted the new BAFTA Studio, chatting to stars including Austin Butler and Emma Thompson in between the on-stage presentations.

Paul Mescal and Colin Farrell fans have claimed the actors was “robbed” after losing out to Elvis star Austin Butler for the Leading Actor Award at the 2023 BAFTAs.The 76th BAFTAs took place earlier tonight (February 19) at London’s Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre in a ceremony hosted by Richard E. Grant and Alison Hammond.All Quiet On The Western Front was the big winner of the night, taking away seven of the 14 awards it had been nominated for while The Banshees Of Inisherin won four awards.However Aftersun only won in one of the four categories it was nominated in, with Charlotte Wells picking up the award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.Aftersun lost out in the Outstanding Film category to The Banshees Of Inisherin while both Paul Mescal and Colin Farrell were beaten in the Leading Actor category by Austin Butler – and fans aren’t happy.“I would have accepted losing to Colin Farrell but Paul Mescal losing to Elvis? No, just no” wrote one fan.

The Princess of Wales wowed in a white floor-length white gown at theThe BAFTA Film Awards 2023. A beaming Kate Middleton was the picture of elegance as she swept along the red carpet in her one-shoulder gown teamed with long black gloves.

Following in the footsteps of comedy stars such as Stephen Fry and Richard Ayoade, this year’s BAFTA film awards will be hosted by Hollywood actor Richard E Grant and This Morning presenter Alison Hammond. Dressed to the nines for one night only, the charismatic duo will be joining forces as the reveal the winners of this year’s closely run awards race, to see who will get to take home of of the iconic BAFTA mask trophies.

Ellie Goulding has been compared to a Harry Potter character as she arrived at the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards. The 36 year old joined stars on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, which will be hosted by Richard E Grant and takes place at London's Royal Festival Hall. For the occasion, singer Ellie wore an eye-catching sheer, grey dress which featured a plunging neckline and sleeves so long they touched the floor.

Lily James is just one of the big names attending the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards in London on Sunday evening, and the actress looked stunning when she made her entrance on the red carpet.The Cinderella actress wore a white Tamara Ralph gown which had a daring cross-hatch detail across the bust, making her overall look beautifully eye-catching. Lily smiled for photographs on the red carpet before her way into the ceremony, which is being held at the Royal Festival Hall.WATCH: Princess Kate's incredible BAFTA looks from over the years It comes soon after the Mamma Mia actress was spotted reuniting with her ex-boyfriend, Matt Smith earlier this week.

Brendan Fraser has been praised as a “class individual” while on the red carpet of the BAFTAs 2023.The 76th BAFTAs (British Academy Film Awards) are revealed tonight (February 19) in a ceremony hosted by Richard E. Grant and Alison Hammond at London’s Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre.Taking to the red carpet ahead of the event though, Fraser proved just how classy he could be.Speaking to red carpet host Ali Plumb, Fraser was given a bumper sticker that reads “Honk if you’d rather be watching the 1999 cinematic masterpiece The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.”“I don’t know where this will fit, but maybe one of your many people…” started Plumb before Fraser took the stickers and put them inside his jacket pocket.

BAFTAs (British Academy Film Awards) are revealed tonight (February 19) – keep up to date with all the winners below.This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Richard E. Grant and Alison Hammond, and is set to take place at London’s Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre.The most nominated film is All Quiet On The Western Front with 14 nods, followed by The Banshees Of Inisherin with 10. After the shortlist was revealed last month though, many fans took to social media to share their outrage that Charlotte Wells’ debut feature Aftersun starring Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio was only nominated for four awards.The BAFTAs ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC One for the first time with Emma Baehr, BAFTA’s executive director of awards and content, telling the Guardian that “as well as the glamour of the awards show, BAFTA is an arts charity.

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond has joined the finest in film on the red carpet at London's Royal Festival Hall ahead of the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards.The TV star dazzled as she stepped out on Sunday evening in a black sequin gown with long sleeves and a deep V-neckline. She paired the sparkling gown with a black tulle shawl, which draped elegantly round her shoulders.

When it comes to national treasures, Alison Hammond and Richard E Grant are right up there with the best of them. So it comes as no surprise that the popular duo have been asked to host the 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday 19 February. Celebrated actor Richard, 65, will host the ceremony on the night while This Morning royalty Alison, 48, will present the brand new BAFTA Studio.

Alison Hammond has shared a glimpse at her prep for the BAFTAs, ahead of co-hosting the biggest night in British film alongside Richard E. Grant. The TV legend stayed overnight at the Savoy Hotel in London before waking up at the crack of dawn to meet her glam team.Telling fans that it feels "like Christmas," Alison admitted she's nervous about hosting and even took her script to bed as she shared a series of snaps from behind the scenes on her Instagram.