Will Smithleft viewers around the world stunned after smackingChris Rockat the 94th Academy Awards.
A source tells PEOPLE that theheated exchangebetween the Best Actor winner and Oscars presenter goes back several years, when Rock, 57, took aim at Will’s wife,Jada Pinkett Smith, during Rock’s hosting gig at the 2016 Academy Awards.
“When Chris hostedthe Oscarsin 2016, Jada was boycotting because of ‘Oscars So White.’ In his monologue, he made fun of her, saying she can’t boycott something she wasn’t invited to,” the insider explains. “Will was still mad about that.”
At the time, Rockmade a jab at Jada, 50, in his opening monologue. “Jada boycottingthe Oscarsis like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited,” he said.
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The debacle at Sunday’s awards show unraveled after Rock made light of Jada’s hair loss, which she’s recently opened up about as a result ofher years-long struggle with alopecia. “Jada, I love ya.G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya,” he joked.
Will, 53, then walked onto stage and smacked Rock in the face, leaving the audience and live viewers around the world stunned. “Oh wow,” said a seemingly taken-aback Rock as Will made his way back to his seat. “Will Smithjust smacked the s— out of me.”
“Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” Smith yelled up to the stage at Rock after taking his seat again.
“Wow, dude, it was aG.I. Janejoke,” said Rock — to which Smith replied once again, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!”
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“I’m going to, okay?” Rock replied, before going on to say, “That was the … greatest night in the history of television” and presenting the award.
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An onlooker at the awards show told PEOPLE that Rock “looked stunned,” adding: “Everyone in the mezzanine was standing up to see what was going on — everyone shocked. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was looking at each other like, ‘Is this really happening?’ "
Will lateracknowledged the moment in his acceptance speechafter winning Best Actor for his performance asVenusandSerena Williams' father Richard Williams inKing Richard, although he omitted Rock from his apology.
“I know to do what we do you gotta be able to take abuse; you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you, and you gotta smile and pretend like that’s okay.”
He compared himself to hisKing Richardcharacter, who was a “fierce defender of his family.”
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Will then addressed the incident directly, offering an apology to the Academy and his fellow nominees for the incident — but failed to mention Rock. “I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees,” he said.
The actor, who was previously nominated forAliandThe Pursuit of Happyness, then joked, “Art imitates life: I look like the crazy father. Just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things.”
He later added, “Being able to love and care for my mother and my family, my wife … Thank you for this honor. Thank you for this moment. … I hope the Academy invites me back.”
source: people.com
