Sources are speaking out about everything that went down between Will Smith, Chris Rock, and what happened surrounding the drama at the 2022 Oscars.
If you missed it, Will hit Chris after he joked about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s bald head during the ceremony.
Click inside to read everything that was revealed…
“Denzel was really the one to defuse the situation,” an onlooker told People.
In the moments after it all happened, a source said, “There were a lot of people, and different voices and bifurcated opinions, weighing in on what had just happened and what was the best and quickest course of action. People were also checking that Chris Rock was okay. Basically there were just minutes to first figure out if it was a stunt and then try to get people on the same page.”
Removing Will from the audience “was definitely discussed seriously. You can’t plan for something like this and make a split-second decision.”
One source revealed why Will Smith might have snapped at Chris Rock…and it dates back to the 2016 Oscars when Jada boycotted the Oscars for the lack of diversity. Apparently, “Smith has been peeved” since then.
The source added, “He made fun of her in his monologue, saying she can’t boycott something she wasn’t invited to,” Another source said they “have been friendly, but Chris has also been making fun of Jada for years. At first Will used to laugh about it, but it really bothered Jada. Will has privately told Chris before to stop making fun of her, and that’s why this night escalated.” A rep for Chris Rock has apparently denied this.
“Will is a great guy, but he grew up in a home filled with anger and alcoholism,” another source said. “He has lots of emotional baggage, and certain things set him off. He loves Jada very much through years of ups and downs. No matter what, Will loves and protects his family.”
“He’s regarded with enormous respect,” an insider added. “He has worked hard, and he championed this project, which is an extraordinary story, and his portrayal is Oscar-worthy. But this taints everything, and that’s unfortunate. To see that display of behavior on the global stage… That’s what he will be remembered for.”
Find out which Hollywood celeb just slammed every Oscars attendee who gave Will a standing ovation for his Best Actor win (which happened after the now infamous slap.)