The Los Angeles Police Department says Chris Rock has declined to file a police report against Will Smith after the “King Richard” actor slapped him on stage during Sunday night’s Oscars.
While the police department left out the names of both Smith and Rock in their statement, they noted that if Rock decides to file a police report at a later date, the department will be available.
“LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program. The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report,” the LAPD said in a statement to TheWrap.
A representative for Chris Rock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
About halfway through the Oscars telecast, Smith attacked Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke at Jada Pinkett Smith’s expense. The “King Richard” star stormed the stage when Rock said Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, should star in a “G.I. Jane” sequel due to her bald head.
Pinkett Smith appeared stunned when the cameras cut to her inside the Dolby Theatre and Smith let Rock have it.
“Will Smith just smacked the s— out of me,” Rock said to the audience in disbelief.
Smith could then be heard just off stage shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth,” to which Rock tried to defend himself, saying: “Wow, dude, it was a f—ing ‘G.I. Jane’ joke.”
Witnesses backstage told TheWrap that members of the LAPD were standing nearby when the altercation happened and approached Smith. However, the actor was not arrested since Rock declined to file a police report.
Later in the evening, Smith won the Best Actor prize for his work in “King Richard.” While he didn’t apologize to Rock directly during his acceptance speech, he did apologize to the Academy and to the night’s other nominees for causing a scene.
“I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment, and I am not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me,” Smith said in part. “Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like Richard Williams … but love will make you do crazy things.”
The Academy also issued a statement that it “does not condone violence in any form.”