Oscars 2022: Best Actor winner Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on live TV

IT could be the most shocking night in the history of the 94^th Academy Awards and would probably go down memory lane in every Oscars event how Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live television after he poked fun at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s appearance. The live telecast aired on Monday morning, March 27, Philippine time.

Chris’ lines were: “Jada, I love you GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you.” This was Chris apparent reference to the actor’s shaved head. Will Smith’s wife announced last year that she shaved her head after struggling with alopecia.

Will walked up to the stage and slapped the comedian and

quietly went back to his seat while Chris was left in shock with what happened. He said, “Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me. That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

Chris explained that his joke was in reference to G.I. Jane character played by Demi Moore because Jada is semi-bald. She already admitted before that she was struggling with alopecia.

From his seat, Will was mad and shouted at the Oscars presenter, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f*ck*ng mouth!”

This happened prior to Will Smith’s win in the best actor category for his role as Richard Williams, the father of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard.

In his speech, Will tearfully apologized to the Academy and fellow nominees.

He added, “Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like Richard Williams… But love will make you do crazy things.”

However, some people in Hollywood said that there is no excuse for Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock in front of the public while the 94th Academy Awards was going on. Most of their comments are:

From Mark Hamill (Star Wars), “Stand-up comics are very adept at handling hecklers. Violent physical assault… not so much. #UgliestOscarMomentEver“

Rosie O’Donnell (The Rosie O’Donell Show) was alarmed with how Will reacted violently and she called it “sad display of toxic masculinity from a narcissistic madman.”

It was not right according to Kathy Griffin (My Life on the D-List) that a stand-up comedian would be physically hurt because of his joke on stage.

For TV host Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live), he is hoping that what happened in the Oscars would not affect the recognition of the talented artists with “unpleasantness.”

TV host Conan O’Brien said, “Just saw the Will Smith slap. Anyone have a late night show I can borrow just for tomorrow?”

Tommy Chong commented, “So it wasn’t staged and Chris Rock could press charges against Will Smith and probably sue his dumb ass! Wow! So surreal!”

Pete Zedlacher (American Pie The Naked Mile) could not believe it when Will even smiled at the joke minutes before he slapped the comedian. “Entitled child man. Team Chris Rock. Always,” Pete said.

Mia Farrow (Rosemary’s Baby) defended Chris, “It was just a joke. Jokes are what Chris Rock does. Always has been edgy…This was a mild joke for him. And I love GI Jane.”

Maria Shriver, journalist and ex-wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger commented, “#WillSmith says he wants to be a vessel for love. Love is not violent.

“Love is not what was displayed on a global stage tonight.

“We should never get to a place where we sit and watch a movie star hit someone on a global television then, moments later, get a standing ovation while talking about love.”

MSNBC political analyst Michael Steele was also shocked at how Will Smith got to use the word “love” for his wife to justify hurting Chris. How could he be given the “standing ovation” and awarded him the Best Actor Award despite the incident. “There was so much wrong about this moment,” stated Michael.

Alopecia of Will smith’s wife is “public knowledge”

Actress Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill) believed that borth Will and Chris made a mistake.

“Violence isn’t ok. Assault is never the answer. Also? This is the 2nd time that Chris has made fun of Jada on the #Oscars stage, & tonight he went after her alopecia.

“Punching down at someone’s auto-immune disease is wrong. Doing so on purpose is cruel. They both need a breather.”

Sophia also explained that Jada’s health condition is “public knowledge.”

“She’s been open about it since & the Smiths/Rock have a long-overlapping circle.

“Hitting him was not okay. AND his ‘joke’ was cruel & personal. All of it, awful,” Sophia. added.”

Winners of the 94^th Academy Awards

CODA was proclaimed Best Picture in the 94th Academy Awards that was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

CODA is a feel-good movie about a lone hearing member of a deaf family. The heavy favorite was The Power of the Dog.

There were only three nominations for CODA, but won in all the nominations.

Will Smith and Jessica Chastain got their first Oscar trophies when they were proclaimed Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.

The Best Director trophy was won by Jane Campion for her masterpiece The Power of the Dog. This is the first Oscar best director trophy of the New Zealander female director.

This is the first in the history of Oscars that both women won Best Director in two consecutive years. In 2021, Chloe Zhao won the Best Director award for her work on Nomadland.

Deaf actor Troy Kotsur won the Best Supporting Actor for his role in CODA.

Troy is the second deaf actor who won an acting award in the Oscars; the first was his co-star in CODA Marlee Matlin who won Best Actress for her role in Children of A Lesser God in 1986.

As expected Arian DeBose was chosen as Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Anita in the musical film West Side Story. The history was repeated because 60 years ago Rita Moreno won the Oscars in both roles.

The Best International Feature was Drive My Car. This is Japan’s fifth win in the mentioned category after Rashomon (1951), Gate of Hell (1954), Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (1955), and Departures (2008).

The list of winners in Oscars 2022:

Best Picture: CODA

Best Director: Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Will Smith – King Richard

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Ariana DeBose – West Side Story

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Troy Kotsur – CODA

Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh – Belfast

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sian Heder – CODA

Best Cinematography: Greg Fraser – Dune

Best Film Editing: Joe Walker – Dune

Best Animated Feature: Encanto