Police in Los Angeles said Sunday that Rock refused to make a statement.
Los Angeles:
Police officers are poised to arrest Will Smith after he attacked comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, the show’s producer said on Thursday.
In his first public comments since the shocking episode ruined Hollywood’s most important evening, Will Packer said he was seated with Rock when officers came to talk to him.
“They’re saying, you know, here’s the battery…. They said we’re going to get him, we’re prepared, we’re prepared to arrest him now, you can charge, we could arrest him, you have – they made choices,” Packer told ABC Television.
“Chris was – he was very dismissive of those options. He was like, ‘I’m fine.'”
Los Angeles police “the officers finished making his selections and they said, ‘You know, do you want us to take any action? ” and he said, “No.”
Police in Los Angeles said Sunday that Rock refused to make a statement.
Smith shocked the entertainment world when he took to the stage during a live broadcast of the Oscars and hit Rock over a joke about the actor’s wife.
Half an hour later, Smith was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “King Richard” – the film industry’s highest honor for a leading actor.
The announcement was greeted with cheers and applause from a crowd of industry insiders.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body that awards the Oscars, said Wednesday Smith had been asked to leave the ceremony after the assault, but refused.
Contradictory reports surfaced Thursday about that detail, including one alleging that Packer asked him to stay at the Dolby Theater.
In the short clip, which aired Thursday on ABC ahead of a full interview scheduled for Friday, Packer denied having spoken to Smith.
– Zoom in meeting –
The Academy said Wednesday that it is considering punishment – including deportation – for Smith, one of Hollywood’s most financially viable stars and the second black man. year won the Academy Award for leading actor.
“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Will Smith for violating the Academy Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromise the integrity of the Academy,” the statement said.
“The Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.”
Trade title, Variety reported on Thursday that Academy directors Dawn Hudson and David Rubin spoke to Smith on Tuesday, 24 hours before the organization released its damning statement.
It cited sources who said the Zoom meeting lasted up to 30 minutes.
During the chat, Smith apologized for his attack on Rock and said he knew there would be consequences, Variety reported.
Smith issued an apology on Instagram on Monday, in which he called his behavior “unacceptable and indefensible.”
“I want to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was lost and I was wrong. I was embarrassed and my actions did not represent the man I wanted to be.”
Rock, whose comedy tour in the US begins in Boston this week, told the audience he’s “still working on” the case.
He did not comment further.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
