The 94th Oscars held in Los Angeles on Sunday pulled out all the stops to put on a good show. But the thunder was stolen by what appears to have been an unscripted moment: Will Smith charging to the stage and slapping presenter Chris Rock.
Rock had made a joke about Will Smith’s wife, the actor Jada Pinkett-Smith, being apt for the next G.I. Jane movie because of her tonsured head. Pinkett-Smith shaved her head in 2021 because of alopecia. She didn’t find the joke funny. Will Smith went one further, hitting Rock on the face and then continuing to abuse Rock after returning to his seat.
UNCENSORED WILL SMITH FOOTAGE AS SHOWN ON AUSTRALIAN TV pic.twitter.com/NcRfdjWxqe
— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 28, 2022
Smith, who won the Best Actor award for King Richard minutes later, apologised for his behaviour to the crowd, but not to Chris Rock.
Uncalled-for violence or a justified reaction by a protective husband? Here are some instant editorials from Twitter.
everyone around will smith after he sat back down pic.twitter.com/4NoHUfvrJ1
— jersey shore au!erwin smith📌 (@greyhoundcomb) March 28, 2022
Will Smith’s caption from 4 hours ago already hasn’t aged well pic.twitter.com/qxUp2BuL8M
— Emily Gates (@emilycgates) March 28, 2022
Physical violence is never the answer. Will Smith was wrong. Some jokes are evil. Chris Rock was wrong. They both can be wrong.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 28, 2022
I think the most important take away here is that comedians are in DANGER. If Will Smith can slap chris rock at the Oscar’s what is stopping a beloved millionaire whose brain has been scrambled by getting very publicly cucked from hitting ME at a comedy club in a strip mall???
— Stavros Halkias (@stavvybaby) March 28, 2022
Say good bye to the Batman slap.
— Estivel (@Estivel) March 28, 2022
Say hello to the Will Smith slapping Chris Rock meme. #Oscar pic.twitter.com/FdlB9xVPFF
The incident certainly enlivened the nearly three-and-a-half hour-long ceremony. The evening was filled with montages of classic films, seemingly never-ending musical performances and occasionally awkward banter by hosts Wanda Skyes, Regina Hall and Amy Schumer. The decision to pre-record the presentation of eight awards and splice them into the live telecast didn’t go down well either.
Truly living for our #Oscars hosts this year!https://t.co/EViXaQY1NZ pic.twitter.com/Y1JirZ8jlM
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 28, 2022
More awkward moments at the Oscars: Amy Schumer, with one of the most unfunny jokes of all time, moved Kirsten Dunst out of her seat, calling her a "seat filler," prompting husband Jesse Plemons to say "you know that was my wife?" pic.twitter.com/GrTKLH8dfa
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 28, 2022
Cut the songs #Oscars
— Lyssaria (@lyssaria) March 28, 2022
The #Oscars (2022) pic.twitter.com/sQ4yyimk18
— OG (@floatingboat) March 28, 2022
I'm a lifelong #Oscar fan, this year's experiment failed spectacularly.
— Susie Leopold (@BlastyLavagrrrl) March 28, 2022
The good moments (DeBose/Kotsur wins) were overshadowed by the terrible pre-taped awards/3 hosts (2 max)/the awful In Memoriam talking & bad framing/the slap (he should've been removed)/endless montages.
The acceptance speeches of some of the winners came in for praise, especially the ones by Ariana DeBose (Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story) and Troy Kotsur (CODA).
Anyway for what it's worth I just thought about Troy Kotsur talking about his dad not being able to sign anymore after his accident and started crying.
— Louis Peitzman (@LouisPeitzman) March 28, 2022
That moment when Troy Kotsur won and the voice of the interpreter is breaking down into tears while translating #Oscars pic.twitter.com/o5UivHkkmB
— Inno Rogers (@Eclipness) March 28, 2022
Ariana DeBose was inspiring in her Oscar speech for Best Supporting Actress—Anita in last year’s West Side Story. She said, “for anyone who’s questioned their identity or living in the grey spaces, there is indeed a place for us.”
— creative_jelli (@melaninandmind1) March 28, 2022
rita moreno and ariana debose. two academy award winners for anita in west side story. both their first nominations and wins. 60 years a part #Oscars pic.twitter.com/7If7BltCag
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) March 28, 2022
"Oh my God—I'm so glad I dressed as a disco ball."
— ABC News (@ABC) March 28, 2022
Siân Heder accepts the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for "CODA." https://t.co/1H1Y9jC9bl#oscars pic.twitter.com/9istv8Ti8D
"We promise not to lose these!" @billieeilish and @finneas accept @TheAcademy Award for Best Music for Original Song goes to “No Time to Die” from #NoTimeToDie. #Oscarshttps://t.co/EViXaQY1NZ pic.twitter.com/Tb1KO1EXnU
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 28, 2022
Billie Eilish is the first person born in the 21st Century to win an Academy Award! #Oscars
— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) March 28, 2022
Lady Gaga, shut out of the nominations for her performance in House of Gucci, won hearts with her handling of the wheelchair-bound Liza Minnelli. The actors presented The Best Picture Oscar to CODA.
The class, kindness and glowing #respect Lady Gaga showed toward Liza Minnelli made up for a lot about this nutty evening, and I promise you I will have a soft spot for Gaga for the rest of my life.
— Farran Nehme (@selfstyledsiren) March 28, 2022
Lady Gaga whispering “I got you” to Liza Minnelli… Best Picture indeed #Oscars pic.twitter.com/8ykQcd1q71
— Joey Nolfi (@joeynolfi) March 28, 2022
On a different night, Lady Gaga whispering “I got you” and Liza Minelli saying “I know” would be the story that stuck with people.#Oscars pic.twitter.com/l0Ml2Os0Ov
— Yishai Maynard (@Yishai20) March 28, 2022
I think Lady Gaga's gentle respect for elderly entertainers is genuine and I think it says a lot about her.
— Tom and Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) March 28, 2022
Also read:
Oscars 2022: ‘CODA’ wins Best Picture, Jane Campion is Best Director for ‘The Power of the Dog’
Oscar Best Picture winner ‘CODA’ is a feel-good film done very well
This is why ‘Summer of Soul’ won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature
