Police ‘ready to arrest’ Smith after Oscar slap
LOS ANGELES
Police officers were ready to arrest Will Smith after he attacked comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, the show’s producer said on March 31.
In his first public comments since the shocking episode that marred Hollywood’s most important evening, Will Packer said he had sat with Rock when officers came to speak to him.
“They were saying, you know, this is battery.... They said we will go get him, we are prepared, we are prepared to get him right now, you can press charges, we can arrest him, you have, they were laying out the options,” Packer told ABC Television.
“Chris was, he was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, ‘I’m fine.’”
Los Angeles police “officers finished laying out what his options were and they said, ‘You know, would you like us to take any action?’ and he said ‘No.’”
Police in Los Angeles said on March 27 that Rock had declined to file a report.
Smith shocked the entertainment world by mounting the stage during the live broadcast of the Oscars and hitting Rock over a joke about the actor’s wife.
Half an hour later, Smith was awarded the best actor Oscar for his role in “King Richard,” the movie industry’s highest honor for a male performer.
The announcement was greeted with cheers and applause from the crowd of industry insiders.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body that awards the Oscars, said on March 30 Smith had been asked to leave the ceremony after the assault, but had refused.
The Academy said it was mulling punishment, including possible expulsion, for Smith, one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, and only the fifth black man to win a leading actor Oscar.
Trade title Variety reported on March 30 that Academy chiefs Dawn Hudson and David Rubin spoke with Smith on March 29, 24 hours before the organization issued its damning statement.
It quoted sources saying the Zoom meeting had lasted up to 30 minutes.
During the conversation Smith apologized for his attack on Rock, and said he was aware there would be consequences, Variety reported.
