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Will Smith was nearly absent from accepting his Academy Award for best actor on Sunday because according to insiders at the 2022 Oscars, the organization strongly considered removing Smith from the Dolby Theatre after he publicly smacked Chris Rock on stage.
“Having Will removed was definitely discussed seriously,” a showbiz insider relayed to People magazine. “You can’t plan for something like this and make a split-second decision that needs everyone’s buy-in, and in any iteration that would have consequences.”
After delivering a monologue that heard the funnyman make light of Smith’s wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith — whose head was shaved partly due to effects of alopecia, which causes hair loss and hinders growth — Rock swiftly went back to his dressing room to collect his thoughts before leaving the awards show.
JON VOIGHT DEFENDS WILL SMITH AFTER SLAP HEARD ROUND THE WORLD: ‘HE’S A GREAT MAN’
Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
“Behind the scenes, there were a lot of people, and different voices and bifurcated opinions, weighing in on what had just happened and what was the best and quickest course of action,” an industry source told the publication of the ordeal that left millions of viewers at home wondering if the stunt was staged.
“People were also checking that Chris Rock was okay,” said the insider. “Basically there were just minutes to first figure out if it was a stunt and then try and get people on the same page — including the producers, ABC, the Academy, reps who were not all in the same place or all looking at their phones in real-time, and even to see if Chris wanted to press charges.”
WILL SMITH, CHRIS ROCK’S OSCARS SLAP INCIDENT HEARD IN UNCENSORED VIRAL CLIP
Rock decided against pressing charges against the “King Richard” star and reportedly was unaffected by the incident at an awards show after-party. Earlier in the evening, Rock reportedly joked backstage that he “got punched” by Muhammad Ali and “didn’t get a scratch.”
Smith famously embodied “the Greatest” boxer in the 2001 biopic.
Initially, however, a source relayed to Fox News Digital that Rock was “shaken” by what had occurred.
Will Smith receives an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams in “King Richard.” The performer accepted the honor shortly after smacking comedian Chris Rock on stage in from of millions after the funnyman made a “G.I. Jane 2” joke about actress Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
(Foto AP/Chris Pizzello)
The viral open-hand smack remains the topic of discussion hours after the last champagne cork was popped. In a circulating video clip of the back-and-forth, Rock seems taken aback at the gumption Smith showed in going the extra mile to make his point felt.
“Oh wow,” said a perplexed Rock. “Wow — Will Smith just smacked the s— out of me.”
ABC was quick to censor a profanity-laden spat between the Hollywood heavyweights after Smith returned to his assigned seat but in an uncensored video clip, at-home viewers are able to hear exactly what many had read from the lips of Smith.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your f—ing mouth,” Smith is heard mouthing in the uncensored clip.
Will Smith yells at Chris Rock from his seat at the Oscar’s after physically assaulting him on stage on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
(Screenshot/ABC)
“Wow, dude, it was a ‘G.I. Jane’ joke,” Rock replied to Smith.
On Monday, a spokesperson for the film academy told Variety: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. 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.”
WILL SMITH, CHRIS ROCK OSCARS FEUD MAY HAVE STARTED IN 2016
The academy previously issued a statement on Sunday, stating that it “does not condone violence of any form.”
“The Academy does not condone violence of any form,” the statement read. “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,” it continued, shifting the focus to the newly minted Oscar winners.
Smith himself has also since publicly apologized to Rock, the academy as well as viewers.
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On Sunday, viewers wondered why Smith wasn’t removed immediately after the incident. “How was Will Smith not removed from the ceremony?” one person tweeted in part. “Where was security at the Oscars?” questioned another.
Reps for the Academy, Rock and the Smiths did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
