Celebs React to Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock

The slap heard ‘around the world. Will Smith surprised the star-studded viewers — and everybody watching at house — when he took to the stage and smacked Chris Rock throughout the face after the comic made a “joke” about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss on the 2022 Oscars on Sunday, March 27.

“Jada, I like you,” the comic mentioned from the stage, quipping, “G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” referring to the actress’ buzzed head, as G.I. Jane star Demi Moore wore an analogous model. (Pinkett Smith, 50, has usually been open about shedding her hair resulting from alopecia.)

Because the digital camera lower to the Smiths, the King Richard star, 53 — who later received the Oscar for finest actor — appeared to smile at Rock’s joke, whereas Pinkett Smith intensely rolled her eyes. Although it initially appeared that Smith was OK with the quip, he shortly walked onstage and slapped the Longest Yard actor, 57, throughout the face. As soon as he returned to his seat, he yelled, “Preserve my spouse’s identify out of your f–king mouth.”

“Wow. Will Smith simply smacked the s–t outta me,” Rock mentioned to the viewers earlier than returning to handing out the award for finest documentary.

For his half, the Recent Prince of Bel-Air alum later referenced — and apologized for — the altercation in his speech when accepting his Oscar for King Richard.

“Oh, man. Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his household,” Smith mentioned, relating his conduct to that of Serena and Venus Williams’ father, the position he performed within the movie. “I’m being known as on in my life to like individuals and to guard individuals and to be a river to my individuals. I do know to do what we do, you bought to have the ability to take abuse. You bought to have the ability to have individuals speak loopy about you. On this enterprise you bought to have the ability to have individuals disrespecting you. And you bought to smile, you bought to fake like that’s OK.”

The 7 Kilos actor additionally apologized to a number of individuals for his conduct — although not explicitly to Rock.

“I wish to apologize to the academy. I wish to apologize to all my fellow nominees,” he added. “Artwork imitates life: I seem like the loopy father. Similar to they mentioned about Richard Williams. However love will make you do loopy issues.”

He later apologized on to the presenter the next day in a prolonged assertion. “I want to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Smith wrote through Instagram on March 28. “I used to be out of line and I used to be fallacious. I’m embarrassed and my actions weren’t indicative of the person I wish to be. There isn’t a place for violence in a world of affection and kindness.”

Stars who had been each in attendance and watching at house had loads to say in regards to the drama — from Rock’s “joke” to Smith’s slap. Scroll under to see how celebrities reacted to the incident: