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Home / Entertainment

Oscars attack: Police called to Will Smith's home in wake of Chris Rock slap

NZ Herald
30 Mar, 2022 06:00 PM3 mins to read

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"Get my wife's name out of your f****** mouth" screamed Will Smith to Chris Rock in one of the most awkward moments in Oscars history. Video / TVNZ

Police have been seen at Will Smith's Los Angeles mansion days after the star slapped Chris Rock live on stage at the Oscars.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department attended the actor's sprawling Calabasas compound, the Sun reported.

The outlet quoted a police spokesperson as saying that Smith called officers to his home.

A drone had reportedly been flying over the multi-million-dollar property and a marked police car was later seen pulling up outside.

Police told the Sun that the drone had flown away by the time they arrived.

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They also confirmed that Chris Rock has still not filed a report over the incident where 53-year-old Smith climbed on to the stage and slapped him in front of a stunned live audience and millions more around the world.

Smith has since issued a public apology to Rock.

Smith issued the apology on Instagram just after midday Tuesday (NZT), directly addressing Rock and his violent assault on the comedian, who had made an off-colour joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith during the ceremony.

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Smith wrote: "Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."

He continued by calling his actions toward Rock "wrong" and admitting he was out of line.

"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."

Smith then issued an apology to the Academy and also to the Williams family.

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"I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.

"I am a work in progress," he concluded.

The apology followed a chaotic Academy Awards ceremony, in which Smith was named Best Actor for role in the movie King Richard, a movie based on the lives of Serena and Venus Williams and their father.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre. Photo / Getty Images
Will Smith slaps Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre. Photo / Getty Images

Many labelled the actor's acceptance speech as "insincere" with no apology being made to Rock.

The post came just hours after the Academy body said it "condemns" Smith's assault of Chris Rock during the 94th Oscars ceremony.

It also revealed it had now launched a formal review of the incident and said it would "explore further action and consequences" in accordance with California law, and the body's standards of conduct.

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The Academy leadership strongly considered removing Smith from the broadcast following the incident, a source told CNN.

"There were immediate discussions but the Academy decision-makers were seated in various spots in the Dolby Theater and couldn't mobilise to make a decision before he won best actor," the source said.

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