Will Smith accepts the award for Finest Actor in a Main Function for “King Richard” onstage in the course of the 94th Oscars on the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022.
Robyn Beck | Afp | Getty Pictures
Will Packer, who produced the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, has spoken out about Sunday’s incident in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage.
In a preview clip of ABC’s Good Morning America interview with Packer, which is about to air in its entirety on Friday, the producer mentioned the Los Angeles Police Division was able to arrest the Oscar-winning actor till Rock declined to press prices.
“They have been saying, you recognize, that is battery was the phrase they use in that second,” Packer mentioned within the clip. “They mentioned we are going to go get him; we’re ready. We’re ready to get him proper now. You possibly can press prices. We will arrest him. They have been laying out the choices, and as they have been speaking, Chris was being very dismissive of these choices. He was like, ‘No, I am effective.’ He was like, ‘No, no, no.'”
Packer informed “GMA” he didn’t converse with Smith in the course of the evening of the Oscars.
On Wednesday, the group behind the Oscars mentioned its board of governors have initiated a disciplinary proceeding against Smith for violating the group’s standards of conduct. In the course of the board’s subsequent assembly on April 18, it can resolve what motion it can take, if any, together with suspension or expulsion.
Based on the Academy, Smith was requested to go away the ceremony, however refused. Nonetheless, the Hollywood Reporter reported that Smith was not formally asked to leave, citing several sources.
Smith apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees throughout his acceptance speech on Sunday and publicly apologized to Rock via social media on Monday.
