The organizer of the Hollywood extravaganza revealed on Thursday that Los Angeles police were on the scene and ready to arrest actor Will Smith for slapping presenter Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday. The authorities did not take any action because Rock declined to press charges, producer Will Packer said, echoing what a police spokesperson said on Sunday.
“They were saying, you know, this is a battery, was a word they used at that moment,” Packer said in excerpts from an interview. “They said, we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now,” Packer added.
Smith apologized for “reacting emotionally”
Smith marched up to the stage during the live Oscars telecast after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s appearance. He then punched the comic in the face. However, he won the best actor prize for his part in “King Richard” less than an hour later. Following the award, he gave a heartfelt statement on stage. According to Packer, police were discussing alternatives with Rock behind the scenes.
Rock “was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, “No, no, no, I’m fine.” And even to the point where I said, “Rock, let them finish,” Packer added. There has been no reply from Rock’s representatives after the incident. However, the inspiration for Rock’s joke regarding, Jada, was from Demi Moore’s bald head in the 1997 film “G.I. Jane”. It’s unclear whether Rock was aware that Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from a hair-loss problem.