Oscar Brass “Suggested” Will Smith Asked To Leave After Chris Rock Slap; Actor Was Never Directly Requested
31.03.2022 - 19:23
/ deadline.com
Details are emerging that Will Smith wasn’t dircectly asked to leave the Oscar ceremony after slapping Chris Rock over his “G.I. Jane 2” joke to Jada Pinkett Smith, rather it was suggested.
Deadline hears that Oscar heavyweights, Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, had a discussion with Will Smith’s rep, bouncing around the idea of the ultimate King Richard Best Actor winner departing the Dolby Theatre. Smith’s rep approached the actor with the suggestion, and he reportedly told her via a well placed source that night “I want to make this right, I want to stay and apologize”.
As more details come out, as more perspectives are being thrown into the hat, the role of Will Packer in all of this seems to be murkier. We know for a fact that Packer did speak to Smith after the incident with Rock, as did Denzel Washington, Tyler Perry and Bradley Cooper. As for what the actual content of that conversation was, it seems there are many POVs on what went down in the fog of war. One source tells us that Packer told Smith to stay; not leave. This is where we might see individuals, running to their own corners as the blame game seems intensifies.
On the other hand, an insider tells us that in fact it was a “firm ask,” not a near suggestion that Smith leave the Dolby.
These conflicting perspectives muddy the waters even more.
Representatives from the Academy when reached by Deadline today didn’t have any comments on the latest development.
However, sources close to the organization tell us that the statement that Smith was asked to leave “remains accurate”. Additionally, we hear, the Academy is maintaining its focus on events going forward, specifically the April 18 that they have scheduled after receiving a written response