Here's every major question surrounding Will Smith's Oscars slap on Chris Rock, and what repercussions may come as a result of the incident. On a night that contained the usual confusing snubs and shameless opulence, as well as a baffling performance of "We Don't Talk About Bruno," the 2022 Oscars ceremony will inevitably be remembered for the 30 seconds where Will Smith took to the stage and slapped Chris Rock in response to a joke about the actor's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, before following up the assault with a verbal lashing from his seat in the crowd.
Controversy is abound, discussion is abundant, and Hollywood is still reeling from a sight that has completely overshadowed the event's main festivities. Will Smith picked up the Best Actor award for King Richard later in the evening, but there was little getting away from the earlier attack, and as the rest of the world wakes up to the Fresh Prince slapping a fellow actor on live TV, the story is bound to have further consequences - both for Smith himself, and an already-beleaguered Academy.
As the Smith family sits down for an awkward breakfast and Chris Rock holds an ice pack to his cheek, here's what we know about the Oscars' latest controversy, and what might happen as a result, from possible criminal charges to a Best Actor reversal.
Was Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock Real Or Staged?
The Oscars has infamously struggled for relevance and ratings of late, with 2021's ceremony drawing less than 10 million viewers for the very first time. Over the past 12 months, organizers have - according to various reports - been seeking ways to "shake-up" Hollywood's big night in a quest for ratings. So, when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock live on stage, many began questioning whether the incident represented a mere publicity stunt.
Smith's slap has everyone talking, and viewership surely spiked as news of the assault began to spread. Having said that, Will Smith's Oscars 2022 slap on Chris Rock is very, very unlikely to be a scripted scene. The painfully real strike itself, the ensuing profanity-laden back-and-forth, and Rock being visibly shaken afterwards all point toward this heated moment's authenticity. If Rock's stuttering reaction to being whacked was a performance, he should've been picking up Best Actor later in the night instead of Smith. And while an awards ceremony staging controversy in a bid to attract viewers isn't unfeasible, it's difficult to imagine Will Smith agreeing to take part. Arguably the biggest actor in his industry, there's surely no amount of money the Oscars could've paid Smith to risk damaging his reputation in such a way.
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars must, therefore, have been an all-too-real altercation.
Why Did Will Smith Slap Chris Rock?
The joke that prompted Will Smith's slap was, "Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you." In comparing Jada to GI Jane, Chris Rock was mocking her hair loss as a result of alopecia - a condition she revealed publicly in 2018, describing the accompanying struggles, and the decision to cut her hair short as a result of that illness. Oscars 2022 viewers have noted that Smith initially laughed at Rock's remark, but Jada looked offended. Shortly after, Will was onstage slapping the mouth it came from.
Although awards ceremony comics are renowned for being edgy (see Ricky Gervais), making fun of a medical condition is undeniably cruel, no matter the intention or context, and Jada Pinkett-Smith was clearly hurt by Chris Rock's words. It would be an understatement to say his GI Jane comment was in poor taste. However, Rock's behavior in no way justifies Will Smith's subsequent assault. What should've been a conversation around comedians making offensive jokes about illness has now become a conversation surrounding assault and toxic masculinity, with Will Smith's reaction among the worst imaginable replies to Rock's insult.
Is Chris Rock Pressing Charges Against Will Smith?
Assaulting a man live on TV doesn't leave much room for deniability, dropping Will Smith in potentially hot water, legally speaking. Since the Oscars 2022 slap occurred, however, the LAPD has confirmed Chris Rock isn't pressing charges against his assailant. The announcement did come with the caveat that should Rock change his mind, the LAPD would investigate the attack. Should this be the case (and assuming Smith was charged) he'd likely face nothing beyond a monetary fine. Via CNN, the full police statement reads:
LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program. 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.
How Has The Academy Responded To Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock?
The Academy has responded to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on its own stage by, essentially, not responding. Smith remained involved in the night's festivities, and was reportedly consoled by fellow stars Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry. Smith picked up his Best Actor award some time later, and used his acceptance speech to offer a semi-apology that concerned the Devil more than it did the growing lump upon Chris Rock's face. The Academy has subsequently posted a Tweet reading:
The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.
In official terms, that's all the Academy has offered in response to Will Smith's assault, and its apparent reluctance to address the slap in the room has sparked criticism, as well as dredging up past occasions where controversial movie industry figures were honored at the Oscars. For years, the Academy has faced questions as to whether it takes such matters seriously, and one actor assaulting another on its own turf without consequences will inevitably amplify those criticisms.
UPDATE: The Academy has launched a formal review into Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.
Is Will Smith Going To Lose His Oscar After Slapping Chris Rock?
By the time Will Smith's open palm graced the left cheek of Chris Rock, the Best Actor Oscar card was already safely snuggled within its envelope, so while you might question the ceremony's wisdom for letting Smith actually accept the gong, the incident came too late to switch winners. The Academy now faces a difficult decision over whether to rescind Will Smith's Best Actor Oscar, or stick by its guns.
The chances of a reversal look, on the surface, rather remote. While the Academy has stripped controversial figures of membership, there's no precedent for reversing an Oscar win on grounds of bad behavior - or even outright criminal charges. The gold-plated fly in the Oscars' ointment, however, is Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during the ceremony itself. Had their altercation happened at any other time or place, Smith could sleep soundly knowing his Oscar was safe, but attacking a host only minutes before receiving the award represents new territory for all involved - and that means anything could happen.
The fate of Will Smith's Best Actor Oscar likely hinges on how much pressure the Academy faces to act. The Academy has pledged to take a tougher stance on violence and abuse in recent years, and - even though Will Smith slapping Chris Rock probably isn't what they envisioned - the failure to deliver a safe environment for its hosts unquestionably falls short of that mission statement. The Academy may be hoping Will Smith makes the decision for them by handing back his Oscar willingly, but that too seems unlikely. If the Academy can hold out long enough for Will Smith's slap to blow over, it'll surely do so, but if the heat becomes too intense, action may have to be taken if the 2023 Oscars are to enjoy any credibility.