Will Smith could’ve ended Hollywood’s biggest night in police custody.
While speaking to Good Morning America, Oscars producer Will Packer opened up about Smith’s onstage attack of Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards. Packer told GMA’s T.J. Holmes that he did not speak to Smith on the night of the incident, but confirmed he had communicated with both Rock and the Los Angeles Police Department, who was fully “prepared” to arrest Smith.
“They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they used in that moment. They said we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now. You can press charges, we can arrest him,” Packer said in a preview of the interview, which airs Friday. “They were laying out the options. And as they were talking, Chris was — he 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.’ The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were, and they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action?’ And he said ‘no.’ He said ‘no.’”
Shortly after Smith’s attack, the LAPD released a statement confirming Rock declined to press charges.
The incident went down shortly after Rock took the Oscars stage to present Best Documentary. Before announcing the nominees, the comedian/former Oscars host took some time to crack a few jokes directed at audience members. At one point, he told Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, that he couldn’t wait to see her in GI Jane 2—an apparent reference to Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head. Moments after he made the joke, Smith walked on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Smith then returned to his seat and shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out your fucking mouth!”
Pinkett-Smith began shaving her head last summer, shortly before she announced her alopecia diagnosis.
There have been conflicting reports on whether Smith was asked to leave the ceremony after the slap. The Academy claims the actor was asked to leave the Dolby Theater, but refused to do so; while sources who were present at the event say Smith was never formally asked to leave.
Smith, who ended the night by winning Best Actor for King Richard, has since apologized to Rock. The Academy says it is now deciding whether to take disciplinary action against Smith for the attack. He reportedly faces suspension or expulsion.
