Will Smith news – live: Oscars audience soared by 555,000 after star slapped Chris Rock

This year’s Oscars featured shocks, sighs and surprises – but all anyone will care about is a slap. The Academy Awards took place on Sunday night, with films including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza and Coda battling it out in the big categories.

The biggest story of the night had almost nothing to do with the awards: a shocking altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock sparked by a joke about Smith’s wife Jada. Smith walked up onto the stage and appeared to smack Rock in the face, before shouting at him to not refer to his wife again.

It undoubtedly overshadowed the night as a whole, and notably – just minutes later – Smith’s win of the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard. Through tears, Smith called himself “a vessel of love” and apologised to the Academy. The LAPD confirmed that Rock is not pressing charges. The Academy said it “does not condone violence of any form” and launched a “formal review” into what happened. Hours later, Smith apologised to Rock and said he was “embarrassed”.

Following the on-stage incident, celebrities including Alec Baldwin and Adam Sandler have spoke out in support of Rock, whose forthcoming comedy tour has since experienced a huge surge of interest.

You can follow all the developments about the “slap that was heard around the world” in our live blog below...

Key Points

• Celebrities react to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage

• Coda wins Best Picture

• Oscars viewers moved by Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli’s tender moment

• The 6 biggest talking points from the Oscars ceremony

• Academy announces ‘formal review’ to assess ‘consequences’ of Smith altercation

Another Will Smith critic weighs in: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

04:00 , Josh Marcus

Scores of celebrities have voiced their opinion on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, with many offering harsh criticism of the King Richard actor’s behaviour.

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the latest to join the fray.

In a post Tuesday on his Substack blog, the former Los Angeles Laker big man wrote that, “When Will Smith stormed onto the Oscar stage to strike Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s short hair, he did a lot more damage than just to Rock’s face. With a single petulant blow, he advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community.”

Here’s how others have reacted to The Slap.

Stars react to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars

Slap-happy: Twitter users keep tagging the wrong Will Smith over Oscars altercation

03:21 , Josh Marcus

A man who shares the same name as Will Smith, and is verified on Twitter, has been the target of abuse on the social media platform since Sunday evening as users continue to mistake him for the King Richard actor.

Those upset by Sunday night’s events have been voicing their criticisms of Smith on Twitter.

Unfortunately, the actor does not appear to have a verified Twitter account, and social media users have been levelling their comments at a non-famous man who shares his name.

Will Smith, a podcast host who works in communications for video game developer Stray Bombay, wrote in a tweet on Sunday: “Real talk, I’m not the person you’re upset/happy with. I make podcasts and video games for a living.

Read more of Saman Javed’s story for Indy/Life.

Twitter users keep tagging the wrong Will Smith over Oscars incident with Chris Rock

What are our Voices columnists saying about The Slap?

02:50 , Josh Marcus

Charles Arrowsmith explored how Will Smith’s past may help explain what happened.

What went wrong? Who can say. Smith writes in his memoir that his perfectionist obsession with success is born of insecurity. His was a childhood scarred by violence and a complicated relationship with an abusive father. His straight-edge, upbeat persona was not just the key to his early accomplishments in hip-hop, TV, and movies but also a defense mechanism. “I’d conflated being successful with being loved and being happy,” he writes. Perhaps seeing his wife being insulted at the moment he reached the pinnacle of his achievements was a knock he felt he simply couldn’t abide.

What Will Smith’s memoir tells us about his Oscars slap — and his teary apology

Meanwhile, Victoria Gagliardo-Silver considered the particular nastiness of Chris Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, given his past work on a documentary highlighting cultural stigmas around Black women’s appearances.

Chris Rock was uniquely positioned to be sensitive about this issue, which is what makes his joke even more difficult to understand. In 2009, he fronted a documentary called Good Hair that explored the ways in which Black women’s hair is stigmatized in western societies. At the time, he explained the reasoning for why he wanted to make the documentary, saying that his three-year-old daughter had asked him, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” That was supposedly a lightbulb moment for Rock, where he came to realize the pressure Black women are under to have hair that meets an unattainable standard.

Chris Rock made a documentary about Black women’s hair — then undermined everything

Oscars bartender shares behind-the-scenes insight into award ceremony: ‘Everybody stopped drinking after slap’

02:21 , Josh Marcus

An Oscars bartender has shared insight into the star-studded awards ceremony, and which celebrities were the nicest at the 94th annual Academy Awards.

The Oscars took place on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in California, with the awards ceremony encompassing a number of notable moments, such as an incident which saw Will Smith smack Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

According to bartender Daniel Ralston, who reportedly worked the event, the moment led to shift in the atmosphere at the awards ceremony, as he claimed on Twitter that “everybody stopped drinking after the slap”.

“Bartended the Oscars. Everybody stopped drinking after the slap,” Ralston wrote on Twitter on 28 March.

Chelsea Ritschel has the details for Indy/Life.

Oscars bartender shares behind-the-scenes insight into award ceremony

Lest we forget: This was also Samuel L Jackson’s big night

01:50 , Josh Marcus

Discussion around the Oscars has, not very shockingly, centered around Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, but some on Twitter are highlighting one of the lesser-told stories of the awards season: How legendary actor Samuel L Jackson finally won his Oscar.

The Pulp Fiction star was awarded a lifetime achievement award on Friday during a non-televised portion of the Oscars weekend.

Did Chris Rock suffer the curse of the Scottish Play? ‘Macbeth’ theory gains traction on Twitter

01:20 , Josh Marcus

A day after Will Smith publicly slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, some on Twitter have a theory about what caused the comedian’s misfortune: he said “Macbeth.”

According to an old superstition, one must never utter the name of the Shakespeare character in a theatre, except to perform or rehearse a line from the play. Instead, the monarch must be referred to as “the Scottish king” or “the Scottish lord,” and the work itself as “the Scottish play.” Otherwise, one invites disaster.

And disaster certainly befell the 94th Academy Awards, where an enraged Smith walked onstage and struck Rock across the face, then returned to his seat and loudly cursed him out from there. Interestingly, the moment was almost immediately preceded by the comedian mentioning Macbeth.

“Denzel!” Rock called from the stage to Denzel Washington, who appeared last year in Joel Coen’s film adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy. “Macbeth! Loved it!”

Nathan Place has the story.

Twitter theorises that ‘Macbeth’ curse caused Chris Rock slap

Oscars audience soared by 550,000 after The Slap

01:00 , Josh Marcus

It might not have been in the plan, but Will Smith slapping Chris Rock gave the Oscars audience a big boost, according to television data.

The audience tuning into the Academy Awards jumped by roughly 550,000 to a total of 17.4 million people in the ten minutes after the slap, according to a New York Times analysis of Nielsen television numbers.

Still, that wasn’t the peak for the night. Nearly 17.7 viewers watched Troy Katsur, the first deaf man to win an acting Oscar, accept his award for best supporting actor earlier in the show.

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

‘Crazy for this one’: Customers react to Fashion Nova text reference to the Will Smith slap

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:40 , Josh Marcus

Fashion Nova has shocked its customers with a text message about a sale, which featured a reference to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock across the face at this year’s Oscars.

While onstage at the Dolby Theatre Sunday night, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, comparing her bald head to the character in the movie GI Jane. The joke was not well-received by Smith, as he walked onto the stage and slapped Rock across the face.

That following day, Fashion Nova sent out a text to its customers about a one-day sale, using the words “slapped” and “Rock,” in reference to the surprising Oscars incident, which has been shared on social media.

“Fashion Nova: We SLAPPED 40 per cent Off the ENTIRE Site!,” the text reads, posted via Twitter. “It’s Time To ROCK New Spring Looks…Today Only.”

Amber Raiken has more on this bizarre marketing scheme.

Customers react to Fashion Nova text referencing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

Ricky Gervais sounds off on whether Will Smith would’ve slapped him

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:19 , Josh Marcus

Seemingly everyone has aired their opinion already on how Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, so it should come as no surprise that comedian Ricky Gervais, who has made a career out of telling hair-raising jokes at awards ceremonies, has offered up his two cents.

It began when Spinal Tap actor Michael McKean on Tuesday posed a “thought experiment” on Twitter: “Same scene, same joke, but replace Chris Rock with Ricky Gervais.”

“You’re basically asking if he would slap a much heavier, angrier, drunker man,” the five-time Golden Globes host responded.

Daisy Maldonado has the full story for indy100.

Ricky Gervais responds to question asking whether Will Smith would have slapped him

Wednesday 30 March 2022 00:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

A joke Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars in 2016 has resurfaced after Will Smith hit him during the latest ceremony.

During the ceremony, Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while he was presenting an award.

“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” Rock said, in seeming reference to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Last year, Pinkett Smith announced she had shaved her head after being diagnosed with alopecia.

But, a crude joke he made about Pinkett Smith in 2016 is being circulated online following the incident.

Jacob Stolworthy has the full story.

Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resurfaces after he’s hit by Will Smith

Tuesday 29 March 2022 23:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Read more here.

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over shock of Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 23:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Adam Sandler joins long list of celebrities defending Chris Rock

Support for Chris Rock continues in the aftermath of Sunday’s Oscars, with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler becoming the latest celebrity to defend the comedian.

Sandler, who has known Rock since the two joined Saturday Night Live together in 1990, tweeted out a plug for the comedian’s forthcoming Ego Death World Tour – presumably giving ticket sales a further boost.

The star of movies including Uncut Gems and Just Got With It, Sandler also wrote: “Love you buddy!”

Read the full story here:

Adam Sandler supports Chris Rock after Oscars drama

Tuesday 29 March 2022 22:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Chris Rock tickets sales surge in the wake of Will Smith slap

Chris Rock is due to kick off his comedy tour this week, returning to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a run of shows, before traveling across the US and UK for his Ego Death World Tour.

The on-stage incident between Will Smith and Rock appears to have boosted interest in the comedian’s tour, with ticket sales spiking following the Oscars on Sunday night.

Read more here.

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 22:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Was Chris Rock’s Jada Pinkett Smith joke scripted?

ABC executive Robb Mills has said that the comedian ad-libbed the GI Jane joke that prompted Best Actor awardee Will Smith to walk up to the stage and hit Rock.

He added that the Oscars productions team, including director Glenn Weiss, realised something was wrong when Rock swore on live television.

Read the full report here.

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

Tuesday 29 March 2022 21:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jada Pinkett Smith has shared her first social media post since her husband hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The post simply states the following words against a pale pink background: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”. Pinkett Smith did not add a caption to her post and has imposed restrictions on who can and cannot leave a comment underneath.

Her post follows after her husband’s statement apologising to Rock for his actions.

Read more here.

Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence after Will Smith hits Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 21:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert all commented on the Will Smith-Chris Rock slap on their respective late night shows.

Find out what they said here.

How late-night hosts reacted to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 20:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Jim Carrey has responded to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The actor is among the latest in a line of celebrities who have weighed in on the dramatic moment, which took place after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, referring to her as “GI Jane”.

In an interview with CBS This Morning , Carrey expressed his disapproval of how the situation was handled,criticising his “standing ovation”.

He also suggested he believes Smith “should have been” arrested for the incident.

Read more here.

Jim Carrey says Will Smith ‘should have been’ arrested for hitting Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 20:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith has been called a “bully” and a “narcissist” by Entourage creator Doug Ellin after slapping Chris Rock.

Smith struck the comedian around the face at the oscars after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

The comedy writer wrote on Twitter argued that the moment stole the limelight from the evening’s winners.

He branded Smith “an overly sensitive out of control bully”.

Read more here.

Entourage creator calls Will Smith a ‘bully’ and a ‘narcissist’ after Chris Rock slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 19:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena whom Will Smith portrayed, speaks out on the altercation

Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams whom Will Smith portrayed in King Richard, has been asked about the star’s actions.

In a statement to NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defence.”

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 19:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

What did Denzel Washington say to Will Smith after he hit Chris Rock?

After the incident, Washington could be seen talking to Smith. Minutes later, when Smith won Best Actor for King Richard, Washington said something to the tearful actor from his seat.

This led Smith to discuss the moment discuss what piece of advice Washington had given him in the wake of the moment.

Read the full story here.

Tuesday 29 March 2022 18:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Has Chris Rock responded to Will Smith’s apology?

Hollywood has bene left reeling by the incident, which occurred at the 2022 Oscars.

Smith has issued an apology to the comedian – but many are wondering what Rock has said about the moment.

Has Chris Rock responded to Will Smith’s apology?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 18:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Read the full story here.

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over shock of Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 17:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Although the actor left Chris Rock out of his apologies on the night, Will Smith has issued a statement publicly saying sorry to the comedian.

“I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” said Smith.

You can read the full apology here.

Read Will Smith’s full apology to Chris Rock

Judd Apatow backtracks earlier comments hitting out at Will Smith

Tuesday 29 March 2022 17:00 , Annabel Nugent

Judd Apatow has backtracked his previous comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock.

The Knocked Up filmmaker attracted widespread criticism for his since-deleted tweets, in which he strongly condemned Smith’s actions. In one post, Apatow said the actor “could have killed” the comedian.

He has since spoken further about his remarks during an appearance on SiriusXM, stating: “The truth is that I wasn’t watching the show at that time.”

Judd Apatow backtracks controversial comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

He also added that he did not view Rock’s joke – which compared Jada Pinkett Smith to Demi Moore’s character in 1997’s GI Jane – to be offensive to the actor.

“[GI Jane] was Demi Moore at her strongest, most gorgeous. And the point of that movie was that she shaved her head and she looked fantastic,” said Apatow, adding that he does not know “all the relationships involved”.

Entourage creator labels Will Smith a 'narcissist who made the entire night about himself’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 16:35 , Annabel Nugent

Entourage creator Doug Ellin has labelled Will Smith a “bully” and a “narcissist” for his actions.

The comedy writer wrote on Twitter: “Can’t believe anyone would defend Will. Gas lighting narcissist who made entire night about himself.”

He condemned Smith for taking the attention away from other accomplishments on the night.

Entourage creator calls Will Smith a ‘bully’ and a ‘narcissist’ after Chris Rock slap

“All about Will. All anyone will remember. An overly sensitive out of control bully,” he said.

“Not Questlove’s amazing speech, not the deaf actor from Coda who was awesome.”

Ellin added that “they would have shot Jesse Plemons if he did the same thing”.

Jada Pinkett-Smith appears to address the Oscars incident

Tuesday 29 March 2022 16:21 , Annabel Nugent

Jada Pinkett Smith has shared her first social media post since her husband hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The post simply states the following words against a pale pink background: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”.Pinkett Smith did not add a caption to her post and has imposed restrictions on who can and cannot leave a comment underneath.

Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence after Will Smith hits Chris Rock

Her post follows after her husband’s statement apologising to Rock for his actions.

Chris Rock previously made fun of Jada Pinkett Smith during the 2016 Oscars

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:53 , Annabel Nugent

In the wake of the on-stage incident, a previous Oscars joke that Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith has resurfaced.

In 2016, when he presented the ceremony that had been boycott due to its lack of diversity, Rock said: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”

Pinkett Smith addressed the dig the following week, telling X17 that “it comes with the territory”.

You can read about Rock’s 2016 joke and Pinkett Smith’s response in full below.

Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resurfaces after he’s hit by Will Smith

Why Will Smith’s expletive-filled outburst was censored in the US – but nowhere else

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:38 , Annabel Nugent

ABC successfully censored Will Smith’s expletive-ridden outburst in the US – but international audiences leaked the raw footage only moments later.

The network’s feed was on a customary 20-second delay in order to allow producers time to bleep swears words or cut scenes that may potentially violate Federal Communications Commission guidelines.

The audio of Smith yelling “keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth” was censored in the US.

International networks, however, were broadcasting raw footage from the awards show to global audiences who witnessed the scenes uncensored.

Within seconds, US audiences were able to view the unedited moment after viewers in other countries shared clips of the incident on social media.

Jimmy Kimmel says he ‘hoped’ Chris Rock was unaware of Jada Pinkett Smith’s struggles with alopecia before he made the joke

Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:00 , Annabel Nugent

Jimmy Kimmel was one of many late night hosts to comment on the dramatic moment.

The presenter used the opportunity to congratulate Oscars co-hosts Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer on the night, writing that he hopes their accomplishments aren’t “overshadowed by the unpleasantness”.

Jimmy Kimmel comments on dramatic Oscars incident with Chris Rock

He later said that he “hoped” that Rock did not know about Pinkett Smith’s struggles with alopecia before making the joke about her shaved head.

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena whom Will Smith portrayed, speaks out on the altercation

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:45 , Annabel Nugent

Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams whom Will Smith portrayed in King Richard, has been asked about the star’s actions.

In a statement to NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defence.”

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Will Smith jokes ‘you can’t invite people from Philly nowhere’ shortly after Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:30 , Annabel Nugent

Will Smith joked that “you can’t invite people from Philly nowhere” shortly after slapping Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

The actor commented the joke on his own Instagram post of himself and Jada Pinkett Smith, which he had shared before the ceremony.

Will Smith addresses Chris Rock Oscars drama on Instagram

Will Smith filmed dancing at the Oscars after party hours after slapping Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:25 , Annabel Nugent

Hours after the altercation and his teary-eyed apology, Smith was filmed enjoying himself at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty.

Variety’s executive editor Ramin Setoodeh shared footage from the event of Smith dancing to his 1997 hit single “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It”. The actor was also pictured posing with fans for photos at the event.

Will Smith filmed dancing to his own music at Oscars party after hitting Chris Rock

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 14:10 , Annabel Nugent

Moments after slapping Chris Rock in the face, Will Smith took to the stage to accept the Best Actor award for his lead role in King Richard.

The award is Smith’s first ever Oscar. He was previously nominated for 2002’s Ali and 2007’s The Pursuit of Happyness.

In the wake of the incident, however, fans are questioning whether the star could be stripped of the accolade.

Speculation has been fuelled by the Academy’s announcement that it has launched “a formal review” to “explore further action and consequences” for Smith.

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar for hitting Chris Rock?

Regina Hall poked fun at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage before Chris Rock incident

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:50 , Annabel Nugent

Prior to the altercation, Regina Hall – who hosted the Oscars alongside Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer – made a joke poking fun at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage.

You can read about the joke below.

Regina Hall makes fun of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage in Oscars skit

The pair made headlines after a 2020 episode of Pinkett Smith’s show, Red Table Talk, in which she revealed that she had an “entanglement” with singer August Alsina while she was married.

Last September, Will confessed that there was a point where they decided not to have a monogamous relationship, as they were “both miserable and clearly something had to change”.

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:40 , Annabel Nugent

Although the actor left Chris Rock out of his apologies on the night, Will Smith has issued a statement publicly saying sorry to the comedian.

“I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” said Smith.

You can read the full apology here.

Read Will Smith’s full apology to Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:24 , Annabel Nugent

It’s fair to say that Will Smith slapping Chris Rock has emerged as the biggest talking point of this year’s Oscars ceremony.

In an effort to recall the night’s other memorable moments, fans have been taking to Twitter to share highlights that were overshadowed by the incident.

One such moment was Samuel L Jackson receiving his first ever golden statuette, which was presented to him by Denzel Washington.

Chris Rock tickets sales surge in the wake of Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 13:14 , Annabel Nugent

Chris Rock is due to kick off his comedy tour this week, returning to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a run of shows, before traveling across the US and UK for his Ego Death World Tour.

The on-stage incident between Will Smith and Rock appears to have boosted interest in the comedian’s tour, with ticket sales spiking following the Oscars on Sunday night (27 March).

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Ticket marketplace site TickPick tweeted that it sold more tickets to Rock’s tour in the night following the Oscars than it did in the entire month preceding.

Judd Apatow backtracks earlier remarks stating Will Smith could have ‘killed’ Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 12:52 , Annabel Nugent

Judd Apatow has clarified his opinion on the Will Smith-Chris Rock incident after his earlier comments attracted widespread criticism.

Shortly after the on-stage incident occurred, the Knocked Up filmmaker took to Twitter to condemn the actor’s actions, claiming that Smith could have “killed” Rock.

Apatow has since backtracked the remarks in an interview with SiriusXM.

Judd Apatow backtracks controversial comments about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

“I don’t know all the relationships involved,” said the director.

Adam Sandler joins long list of celebrities defending Chris Rock

Tuesday 29 March 2022 11:30 , Maanya Sachdeva

Support for Chris Rock continues in the aftermath of Sunday’s Oscars, with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler becoming the latest celebrity to defend the comedian.

Sandler, who has known Rock since the two joined Saturday Night Live together in 1990, tweeted out a plug for the comedian’s forthcoming Ego Death World Tour – presumably giving ticket sales a further boost.

The star of movies including Uncut Gems and Just Got With It, Sandler also wrote: “Love you buddy!”

Read the full story here:

Adam Sandler supports Chris Rock after Oscars drama

Oscars producer calls Will Smith slap ‘very painful moment for me'

Tuesday 29 March 2022 11:15 , Maanya Sachdeva

The producer of the 94th Academy Awards, Will Packer, has addressed the backlash to one of his tweets about the Will Smith slap, revealing that the altercation was “very painful” for him to watch.

Shortly after the dramatic ceremony was concluded, Packer, 47, tweeted: “Welp... I said it wouldn’t be boring #Oscars”

After social media users criticised the producer for “making jokes about an assault that happened during your show”, Packer shared his “transparent thoughts” about seeing Smith strike comedian Chris Rock onstage during the show’s live broadcast.

“Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it,” he wrote on Twitter, addressing those that had objected to his original tweet.

“I don’t feel the need to elucidate that for you,” Packer continued, adding, “But I also don’t mind being transparent and say that this was a very painful moment for me. On many levels.”

Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 10:45 , Maanya Sachdeva

Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”

The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.

Annabel Nugent has the full story:

Will Smith’s mum speaks out over Chris Rock Oscars slap

Alan Davies ‘sticks up’ for Chris Rock amid Oscars storm

Tuesday 29 March 2022 09:46 , Maanya Sachdeva

Alan Davies has expressed solidarity with Chris Rock over the Oscars incident that has drawn outrage and shock from celebrities around the world.

The British comedian said he will “stick up for the comic” in an interview with BBC Breakfast, adding he didn’t think Rock intended to reference Jada Pinkett Smith’s medical condition onstage at the Academy Awards.

However, he added, Smith’s reaction was not ‘in any way reasonable’.

Read the full story here:

Alan Davies ‘sticks up’ for Chris Rock over ‘unreasonable’ Will Smith Oscars slap

Screen Actors Guild condemns ‘unacceptable’ Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 08:28 , Maanya Sachdeva

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has condemned “the incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock” at the 94th Academy Awards, calling it “unacceptable”.

The union representing presenters and other performers who work on the Oscars in an online statement said: “Violence or physical abuse in the workplace is never appropriate and the [SAG-AFTRA] condemns any such conduct.”

The industry body also revealed it had contacted the Academy after Smith struck Rock onstage over a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett to ensure the Best Actor winner’s behaviour is “properly addressed”.

Was Chris Rock’s Jada Pinkett Smith joke scripted?

Tuesday 29 March 2022 07:36 , Ellie Harrison

ABC executive Robb Mills has said that the comedian ad-libbed the GI Jane joke that prompted Best Actor awardee Will Smith to walk up to the stage and hit Rock.

He added that the Oscars productions team, including director Glenn Weiss, realised something was wrong when Rock swore on live television.

Read the full report from Maanya Sachdeva here...

Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says

Musical parody of the slap incident goes viral

Tuesday 29 March 2022 07:03 , Ellie Harrison

Britain’s most opportunistic comedian Munya Chawawa has made a musical parody of the Will Smith/Chris Rock altercation, blending in references to Men in Black, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”.

See the full story below...

Munya Chawawa’s musical parody of Will Smith’s Oscars slap goes viral

Comedian Jeff Ross praises ‘class act’ Chris Rock over Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 06:55 , Maanya Sachdeva

American comedian Jeff Ross has said Chris Rock’s restraint after the Will Smith incident at the 2022 Oscars was a “class act”.

Ross commented on the incident in a lengthy Instagram statement, writing that he “worships Chris Rock” and was moved to tears when he saw “Smith attack” Rock.

“I was watching my idol live out a comedian’s worst nightmare on live television,” Ross continued, referencing Smith hitting Rock over a joke he made about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith during the live Oscars ceremony.

“Rock should get a Nobel peace prize for keeping his hands down and not escalating the situation. Class act,” Ross added.

Peony Hirwani has the full report here:

Jeff Ross praises Chris Rock for his ‘class act’ at the Oscars

Alec Baldwin compares Oscars to Jerry Springer Show over Will Smith slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 05:59 , Maanya Sachdeva

Alec Baldwin has compared this year’s Academy Awards to The Jerry Springer Show after Will Smith hit Chris Rock during the ceremony.

The actor, who currently faces multiple lawsuits over Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ death last year, came out in support of Rock on Twitter and Instagram on Monday.

“I’m not reading much about how, or even if, the producers attended to Chris. But I love you, Chris Rock,” Baldwin wrote.

“I’m sorry the Oscars turned into The Jerry Springer Show,” the 63-year-old actor continued, comparing the Oscars to the tabloid talk show hosted by British-American television personality Gerald Norman Springer.

LAPD right not to investigate Will Smith over Oscars slap – experts

Tuesday 29 March 2022 05:20 , Maanya Sachdeva

Legal experts say the Los Angeles Police Department is right not to investigate Will Smith for hitting Chris Rock – especially since the comedian declined to press charges against Smith.

Criminal defence attorney Alan Jackson told the LA Times that the only charge which could be brought against Smith would be misdemeanour battery since Rock wasn’t injured and no weapons were used. However, Jackson continued, to be arrested on misdemeanour, the offence needs to “happen in front of the authorities”.

American law school professor Laurie Levenson told the paper that “not every bad act becomes a criminal case”.

“I don’t think anybody is sanctioning or anybody is saying what Will Smith did is appropriate,” she said.

Chris Rock ticket prices hiked after Will Smith Oscars slap - reports

Tuesday 29 March 2022 04:56 , Maanya Sachdeva

Ticket-selling site TickPick announced it had sold more Chris Rock tickets “overnight than we did in the past month combined” after the comedian was slapped by Will Smith on stage at the Oscars on Sunday (27 March).

Rock had announced his new “Ego Death World Tour” last month on Instagram, promising his fans “all new material” that is both very “personal and funny”.

Ticket prices for Rock’s show were also hiked after the Oscars incident, according to media reports. Tickets for a table at the comedian’s forthcoming show in Boston’s Wilbur Theatre on Friday were up over £76, Newsweek reported.

Tom Murray has the full story:

Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap

Tuesday 29 March 2022 02:00 , Chris Baynes

It was the unbelievable Oscar twist that no-one saw coming... unless you’re Twitter user @_ja_s_on_ that is.

A tweet originally shared in 2016 went viral in the wake of last night’s events, for seemingly “predicting” the incident with Chris Rock.

The twitter user re-shared the tweet, which made speculative reference to Smith hitting Rock in the face, in the wake of last night’s events, alongside the caption: “Well…”

His reaction has since gone viral on the social media site, being “liked” over half a million times.

Richard Williams responds to Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 01:30 , Chris Baynes

The real-life tennis coach portrayed by Will Smith in his latest Oscar-winning performance has distanced himself from the film star’s on-stage skirmish with Chris Rock at the awards ceremony.

Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis titans Venus and Serena Williams, was the subject of last year’s biopic King Richard, for which Smith won the Oscar award for best male actor.

In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Mr Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”

On Monday, however, in a statement NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Mr Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense.”

Io Dodds has the full story here:

Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’

‘Embarrassed’ Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock over Oscars slap: ‘I was out of line and I was wrong’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 00:46 , Chris Baynes

Will Smith has apologised for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

“I was out of line and I was wrong,” read a statement on Monday from the actor addressed to Rock, the Motion Picture Academy, and others including his fellow cast and crew on King Richard.

Josh Marcus has the story:

Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock for Oscars slap: ‘I was out of line’

Tuesday 29 March 2022 00:01 , Louis Chilton

While the Best Actor win itself was understandably overshadowed by other events, many Oscar viewers may be curious about the film that gave Smith his win, King Richard.

The film is available to stream on Virgin TV Go in the UK, and on HBO Max in the US.

In it, Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of aspiring tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams – both of whom were in attendance at the Oscars yesterday.

Read Clarisse Loughrey’s four-star review of the film below...

Will Smith is a true movie star in King Richard – review

Monday 28 March 2022 23:00 , Louis Chilton

It may have hurt at the time, but Smith’s slap may have inadvertently signalled some good news for presenter Chris Rock.

Ticket sales for Rock’s forthcoming stand-up tour have reportedly skyrocketed, with ticket selling site TickPick announcing on Twitter exactly how in-demand his new show is.

“We sold more tickets to see Chris Rock overnight than we did in the past month combined,” revealed the company.

British fans of the comedian may be happy to learn that Rock is set to perform a number of UK dates in May as part of the tour.

Monday 28 March 2022 22:00 , Louis Chilton

With all the talk on Will Smith’s headline-grabbing altercation, the actual winners from last night’s Oscars have rather been swept under the rug.

But the Oscars ceremony saw a number of historic wins in several categories, including Ariana DeBose, who became the first openly queer woman of colour to win an award for acting, after picking up Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story.

Troy Kotsur also became the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar, after he was recognised for his supporting turn in the eventual Best Picture winner Coda.

You can click here for a list of all the winners from the ceremony.

Or you can read below for a rundown of the night’s biggest talking points...

The 6 biggest talking points from this year’s dramatic Oscars ceremony

Monday 28 March 2022 20:56 , Louis Chilton

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced it is opening an investigation into Will Smith’s conduct during last night’s ceremony.

In a fresh statement issued by the awards body, it “condemned” Smith’s actions, and said an investigation was being launched into prospective sanctions.

“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show,” said the organisation.

“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.”

What form the “consequences” shall take remain to be seen.

Read the full story here...

Emergency meeting called as Oscars look into Will Smith ‘consequences’

Monday 28 March 2022 20:00 , Louis Chilton

Piers Morgan has given his two cents on the whole Smith incident (surprise, surprise), and detailed an encounter he allegedly had with the actor while interviewing Jada Pinkett Smith back in 2011.

“My first encounter with him was unnerving,” wrote the former Good Morning Britain host.

“Before we started, he warned me: ‘Don’t upset my wife, Mr Morgan, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry,’” Morgan claimed.

The comments came as part of a column in which he came to the defence of Smith, describing in detail his interaction with the actor and praising Smith’s relationship with his wife.

Read the full story below...

Piers Morgan claims Will Smith told him ‘don’t upset my wife’ in ‘unnerving’ meeting

Monday 28 March 2022 19:00 , Louis Chilton

Whoopi Goldberg has weighed in on Smith’s altercation on the US talk show The View, shutting down speculation that the actor could have his Best Actor win revoked.

Goldberg, who is a serving Governer for the Academy’s Actors branch, said: “I think it was a lot of stuff probably built up.

“I think he overreacted… I think he had one of those moments where it was like [God damn] it, just stop. I get it, not everybody acts the way we would like them to act under pressure. And he snapped.”

After her The View co-host Sunny Hostin wondered aloud whether Smith’s trophy could be taken away, the Sister Act star said: “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him.”

Read the full story below...

Whoopi Goldberg reacts to Will Smith slap: ‘We’re not going to take his Oscar’

Monday 28 March 2022 18:00 , Louis Chilton

Writer Joyce Carol Oates has weighed in on the Will Smith drama at length in a series of tweets.

The Black Water novelist wrote: “Will Smith behaving impulsively when his wife was insulted is very Hollywood-movie of a bygone era when such incidents would be cheered as valiant & chivalrous.

“Inappropriate behaviour but met with surpassing aplomb & generosity by Chris Rock. Impressive professionalism & a concern for the Oscars to be yet awarded. in a way, a model of behaviour in confrontation with sudden, unscripted violence. Chris Rock’s magnanimity will prevail.”

“Ricky Gervais must be shaking his head in wonderment of how he’d escaped a whipping or two in the past,” she joked.

Monday 28 March 2022 17:01 , Isobel Lewis

It was only a matter of time, but Ricky Gervais appears to have commented on last night’s Will Smith drama.

The comedian and five-time Golden Globes host retweeted a clip from The Office in which David Brent discusses alopecia, the hair loss condition that Jada Pinkett Smith has and Chris Rock seemed to reference on stage.

As the show aired, Gervais also tweeted a fan an example of the kind of opening speech he would have done, had he been hosting the ceremony. You can read the full joke below...

Ricky Gervais appears to comment on Will Smith Oscars drama

Monday 28 March 2022 16:35 , Isobel Lewis

If you want reassuring that celebrities love a good goss as much as the rest of us, then check out this incredible picture from the Vanity Fair after party.

Tweeted by YouTube’s head of fashion and beauty Derek Blasberg, the photo shows a group of celebs huddled around a phone as they hear what’s happened on stage between Will Smith and Chris Rock.

Pictured are Katie McGrath, Jason Bateman, Taika Waititi, JJ Abrams, Ron Howard, Oli Green, Sienna Miller, Sarah Paulson and Amanda Anka, with Waititi gazing at the camera in mock horror while Miller leans forward to get a better look.

Monday 28 March 2022 16:15 , Isobel Lewis

As if we didn’t all have enough to talk about post-Academy Awards, people have been left seriously baffled by Liam Payne’s accent.

The former One Direction star hails from Wolverhampton, but left fans scratching their heads when he appeared on Good Morning Britain from the Elton John Foundation Oscars afterparty on Monday morning.

Journalist Josh Knapman wrote: “Will Smith smacked Chris Rock so hard, Liam Payne’s accent changed.”

You can read more of the funniest tweets below...

Oscars viewers baffled by Liam Payne’s accent in rambling interview

Monday 28 March 2022 15:55 , Isobel Lewis

After all that drama, things might be looking OK for Will Smith and Chris Rock.

According to Diddy, who presented another award during the night, the whole saga is “over”.

The rapper said that the pair had patched things up, adding: “That’s not a problem. That’s over... It’s all love. They’re brothers.”

Read more below...

P Diddy claims Will Smith and Chris Rock made amends after Oscars

Monday 28 March 2022 15:35 , Isobel Lewis

One of Hollywood’s hottest couples made their red carpet debut last night.

Michael B Jordan and model Lori Harvey were seen at Vanity Fair’s Oscars after party together.

The couple have been dating since 2020.

Monday 28 March 2022 14:55 , Isobel Lewis

As viewers from the US wake up on Monday, we’re beginning to see even more reactions to The Slap.

Over on Good Morning America, presenter George Stephanopoulos described the altercation as “something that we’ve never seen before”.

Correspondent TJ Holmes said that the moment was “awful”, adding: “It was ugly, it was embarrassing, it was confusing.”

He continued: “This was awful, unfortunate and out of character behavior from Will Smith who we’ve all spent a whole lot of time with over the years.”

“No excuse for violence,” Stephanopoulos added.

Rachel Zegler made it to the Oscars after all – and got her fangirl moment

Monday 28 March 2022 14:35 , Isobel Lewis

Among all the drama, it’s nice to know that even celebrities still have fangirl moments.

Rachel Zegler, who last week made her own headlines after not initially being invited to attend with Best Picture nominee West Side Story, presented an award during Sunday night’s show.

The 20-year-old also posed for a selfie with Andrew Garfield and shared a video to Twitter as she embraced Penélope Cruz.

“DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN,” she captioned the post. We promise you, it did!

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar?

Monday 28 March 2022 14:15 , Isobel Lewis

Obviously, Will Smith’s slap is what most people are talking about post-Oscars. Which begs the question: could Smith lose his long-awaited Oscar over it?

Back in 2017, the Academy released their code of conduct, in which they explained what it takes to be a member.

You can read their guidelines below...

Could Will Smith lose his Oscar for hitting Chris Rock?

A celebration of Best Picture winner Coda

Monday 28 March 2022 13:55 , Ellie Harrison

What with all the slapping going on, it’s easy to forget that there were lots of winners at the ceremony. The biggest winner of the night was Coda. Read about why it deserved its recognition here...

Why feel-good favourite CODA was the right Best Picture Oscar winner

Our film critic’s verdict on one of the most dramatic Oscars of all time

Monday 28 March 2022 13:26 , Ellie Harrison

Clarisse Loughrey has written her appraisal of the 2022 Oscars...

‘This year’s Oscars ceremony was a tasteless mess’

Monday 28 March 2022 14:10 , Isobel Lewis

Following CODA’s surprise win for Best Picture, the team earned a rather unexpected congratulations message from Emmanuel Macron.

The French president tweeted his delight at the film, a remake of the 2014 French movie La Famille Bélier, winning the biggest prize of the night.

“The film Coda, [an] adaptation of The Bélier family, won the Oscar for best film in Hollywood!” he wrote (translated by Deadline).

“A big congratulations to its producers, French, and to the teams who make it a success abroad. With this film, they look at disability and the experience of caregivers.”

Monday 28 March 2022 12:52 , Ellie Harrison

There’s been a lot of discourse about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars – but what was the joke about Jada Pinkett Smith that upset him so much?

Read the full story here.

What was the joke Chris Rock made about Will Smith’s wife Jada?

Monday 28 March 2022 12:23 , Ellie Harrison

Celebrities have been divided over The Slap. Here are Tiffany Haddish’s thoughts on the moment that has defined the 2022 Oscars

Tiffany Haddish says Will Smith’s slap was ‘the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen’

Monday 28 March 2022 11:40 , Ellie Harrison

Here’s a recap of the biggest talking points of the night...

The 6 biggest talking points from this year’s dramatic Oscars ceremony

Will Smith dances at Oscars after party

Monday 28 March 2022 11:14 , Ellie Harrison

Will Smith was filmed dancing to his own hit “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” after hitting Chris Rock

Will Smith filmed dancing to his own music at Oscars party after hitting Chris Rock

Where was Bob Saget in the ‘In Memoriam’ tributes?

Monday 28 March 2022 11:00 , Ellie Harrison

Many Oscars viewers were upset that the Full House star, who died in January, didn’t get a mention

Oscars viewers saddened as Bob Saget not featured in ‘In Memoriam’ tributes

Jimmy Kimmel has been weighing in on the Will Smith/Chris Rock saga

Monday 28 March 2022 10:35 , Ellie Harrison

The late night host discussed the astonishing moment in a podcast that aired after the ceremony. Read what he had to say here...

Jimmy Kimmel praises Oscars hosts amid ‘unpleasantness’ after Will Smith incident

Monday 28 March 2022 10:09 , Ellie Harrison

Bernardine Evaristo, the author of the Booker Prize-winning novel Girl, Woman, Other, has tweeted about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, condemning his choice to “resort to violence instead of utilising the power of words”

Monday 28 March 2022 10:07 , Ellie Harrison

Here’s Will Smith’s tearful acceptance speech once again

Monday 28 March 2022 09:47 , Ellie Harrison

Before the Will Smith/Chris Rock drama unfolded, the Oscars ceremony was already quite an eventful night.

Here’s a handful of stories from earlier on in the evening you might have missed

Rachel Zegler cracks joke about lack of invite while presenting award

Amy Schumer joke about Leonardo DiCaprio and his ‘girlfriends’ draws gasps

Coda star Troy Kotsur makes history as first deaf male actor to win an Academy Award

Will Smith has addressed the Chris Rock altercation on his Instagram

Monday 28 March 2022 09:14 , Ellie Harrison

After Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage over a joke the comedian made about his wife Jada, Smith wrote on Instagram: “You can’t invite people from Philly or Baltimore nowhere!!”

Read the full story here

Will Smith addresses Chris Rock Oscars drama on Instagram

Monday 28 March 2022 08:52 , Ellie Harrison

Philadelphian politician Brendan Boyle is one of the many, many Twitter users who has made a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air joke after Will Smith smacked Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

Monday 28 March 2022 08:24 , Ellie Harrison

Lots of people have been asking if Will Smith will have to give his Best Actor Oscar back after the altercation with Chris Rock. The Independent has contacted the Academy for comment on this.

In the meantime, many of his fans are very happy he took home the award.

Judd Apatow’s Will Smith tweet causes backlash

Monday 28 March 2022 08:22 , Ellie Harrison

OK. Here we go. The reactions to the reactions to The Slap have begun.

Judd Apatow sparks backlash for commenting on Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

Who was the biggest winner of the night?

Monday 28 March 2022 08:09 , Ellie Harrison

Here’s our rundown on the winners in each category of the most dramatic Oscars in history

Underdog Coda emerges big winner at action-packed Oscars ceremony

Monday 28 March 2022 08:07 , Ellie Harrison

While this year’s Oscars will be remembered for a clash between Will Smith and Chris Rock, the ceremony had some much more tender exchanges.

For example, Lady Gaga has been praised for a touching moment she shared with Liza Minnelli...

Lady Gaga praised for touching moment with Liza Minnelli at the Oscars

Why this year’s Oscars was a tasteless mess

Monday 28 March 2022 07:57 , Ellie Harrison

Clarisse Loughrey’s appraisal on the most dramatic night in Oscars history has landed.

‘This year’s Oscars ceremony was a tasteless mess’

Jada Pinkett Smith’s eye roll

Monday 28 March 2022 07:32 , Ellie Harrison

Everyone is talking about Will Smith hitting Chris Rock over the joke he made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. But how did the actor and Red Table Talk host react herself?

How Jada Pinkett Smith reacted to Chris Rock’s joke about her at the Oscars

How the stars have reacted to The Slap

Monday 28 March 2022 07:31 , Ellie Harrison

A tweet from Judd Apatow saying Will Smith “could have killed” Chris Rock has already drawn criticism. And 50 Cent and Kathy Griffin are among the other celebrities who have been posting about the incident...

Judd Apatow and Kathy Griffin among stars condemning Will Smith Oscars hit

The biggest talking points of the night

Monday 28 March 2022 06:54 , Ellie Harrison

With the Will Smith incident, this was the most dramatic Oscars night since the La La Land/Moonlight mix-up in 2017.

But let’s not forget, there were also some winners too...

Read all the biggest talking points here.

The 6 biggest talking points from this year’s dramatic Oscars ceremony

Will Smith’s tearful Best Actor winner’s speech can be read in full here

Monday 28 March 2022 06:50 , Ellie Harrison

The King Richard star cried as he took to the stage, apologising for his actions and revealing what Denzel Washington said to him just after the Chris Rock altercation.

Read the speech in its entirety here.

Read Best Actor winner Will Smith’s full acceptance speech after Chris Rock incident

Academy reacts to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock

Monday 28 March 2022 06:18 , Ellie Harrison

The Academy has said it does not condone violence after Will Smith hit Chris Rock on stage for making a joke about his wife Jada.

A celebration of Coda, this year’s Best Film winner

Monday 28 March 2022 06:06 , Ellie Harrison

The big wins of the night may have been largely overshadowed by Will Smith hitting Chris Rock, but take a moment to appreciate the Best Picture winner, Coda, below...

Why feel-good favourite CODA should win the Oscar for Best Picture

The LAPD said Chris Rock is not pressing charges

Monday 28 March 2022 05:54 , Ellie Harrison

The Los Angeles Police Department has responded to the Will Smith/Chris Rock altercation.

Read the full story here.

Chris Rock won’t press charges against Will Smith, police say

Jimmy Kimmel has taken a moment to praise the Oscars hosts amid the chaos of the onstage altercation

Monday 28 March 2022 05:51 , Ellie Harrison

The late night host applauded Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes

Read about it below...

Jimmy Kimmel praises Oscars hosts amid ‘unpleasantness’ over Will Smith drama

Monday 28 March 2022 05:45 , Ellie Harrison

Minnie Driver was interviewed about the Will Smith/Chris Rock altercation on the red carpet.

See her thoughts here...

And more celebrity reactions here.

Jaden Smith tweets about his father slapping Chris Rock on stage

Monday 28 March 2022 05:40 , Ellie Harrison

Will Smith has been condemned by many celebrities after hitting Chris Rock on stage for making a joke about his wife.

His son Jaden, 23, has now posted about the incident.

Read more below.

Jaden Smith responds after Will Smith hits Chris Rock at the Oscars

Monday 28 March 2022 05:33 , Adam White

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that they are aware that an incident took place at the Academy Awards but that no one involved has filed a report.

“LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,” a statement by the LAPD said. “The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”

Monday 28 March 2022 05:19 , Ellie Harrison

Good morning, taking over the live blog from Adam to recap over the night’s events, from The Slap to the biggest wins...

Here’s the moment again

Will Smith punches Chris Rock at the Oscars: ‘Keep my wife’s name out your mouth’

Monday 28 March 2022 05:00 , Adam White

Here’s Smith exiting the Dolby Theatre at the end of the show with wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Monday 28 March 2022 04:53 , Adam White

So we are into the first hour of at least a few days of chaos related to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

Judd Apatow and Kathy Griffin are among the names to condemn Smith. Expect more to follow suit, as well as rally to his defence.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website