Chris Rock not pressing charges against Will Smith for Oscars altercation

Chris Rock is not pressing charges against Will Smith over the onstage altercation at the Oscars 2022, the LAPD has said.

During the ceremony tonight (March 27), Rock made a “joke” about Smith’s wife, actor Jada Pinkett Smith being bald. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia and has been open about her condition.

Taking offence to Rock’s comments that he couldn’t wait to see Pinkett Smith “in G.I. Jane 2”, Smith got up on stage and took a swing at the comedian. When he returned to his seat, he shouted: “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”

Now, the LAPD has given a statement to Variety about the incident, confirming Rock had not pressed charges at present. “LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,” the statement read.

“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.”

Later in the night, Smith collected the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his part in King Richard. While accepting the trophy, he apologised “to the Academy” and “all my fellow nominees” for his earlier actions.

“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams,” he added.

Elsewhere at the Oscars 2022, Jessica Chastain delivered a moving speech about suicide and discrimination as she collected the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Mila Kunis alluded to the conflict in Ukraine and praised the country’s people for their “resilience”, and CODA’s Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar.

You can catch up with all of the winners from the Oscars 2022 here.

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