There was an immediate reaction backstage at the Oscars after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, and details about the reaction were recently revealed in a new report. In the most inadvertent, viral moment from last night's ceremony, Smith got up from his seat and walked up to Rock, slapping him after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, comparing her to the G.I. Jane character from the 1997 Ridley Scott movie of the same name. The movie starred Demi Moore, who had to shave her head for the role. Pinkett-Smith recently disclosed that she was diagnosed with alopecia since 2018 and shaved her head. Smith then proceeded to shout profanities at Rock during the live telecast, commanding him to not mention his wife's name, which was censored for American audiences.
Rock, who was a presenter at the show, continued to go on, while Smith won the award for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard shortly after. Smith used his speech to address the incident and apologized to the Academy as well as his fellow nominees. It was reported that Rock's joke was not used during rehearsal for the Oscars, which is common when a comedian presents at an award show. Many in the room who witnessed the slap were clearly stunned during the encounter, some trying to decipher if it was a bit. When it quickly became evident that it was genuine, there were a lot of moments unfolding at the Dolby Theatre.
THR has now brought word from various sources, what the reaction and aftermath was backstage at the ceremony following the infamous slap. Multiple presenters were in the green room getting ready to present their respective categories, including Kevin Costner, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Anthony Hopkins. Also present were the three stars from Pulp Fiction, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman, who were set to present Smith's category. It was reported that when the incident occurred, the room "went very quiet," and that "Everyone was like, ‘What the fuck is happening?! Did that just happen?! Oh my God!’ People were gasping." The Academy's CEO Dawn Hudson and president David Rubin also proceeded to walk backstage "very, very fast into a private room with Meredith [O'Sullivan Wasson, Smith's publicist]" and were "as serious as could be." Hudson and Rubin did not return to the theatre, where they were seated in the audience.
Meanwhile, during the commercial break, Smith was seen being comforted by celebrities such as Tyler Perry, Bradley Cooper, and fellow nominee Denzel Washington, while also holding his wife's hand and having an immediate discussion with his publicist. Rock declined to press charges against Smith for the assault. Many celebrities have since been divided on the issue, with some supporting Smith's defense to protect his wife and others condemning him for what was considered violence against Rock, while questioning why Smith was not removed from the theatre.
The aftermath of the incident is still ongoing and currently being investigated, and it is uncertain if Smith will be invited back to the Academy. While it is certainly understandable for Smith and Pinkett-Smith to have a genuine reaction to a comedian's joke, the situation could have undoubtedly been handled much differently. It is hopeful that both sides will be able to resolve this on their own and come to an understanding, and that a scary situation like this will not happen again.
Source: THR