New Delhi: Will Packer, who produced the 2022 Oscars ceremony, recently revealed that cops were prepared to arrest actor Will Smith after he slapped comedian Chris Rock during the award show.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Packer recently appeared in an interview with Good Morning America where he discussed the ongoing slap controversy.
The producer said that the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) was ready to arrest Smith until Rock declined to press charges.
"They were saying, you know, 'This is battery,' was the word they use in that moment," Packer said, adding, "They said, 'We will go get him; we are prepared. We're prepared to get him right now. You can press charges. We can arrest him.”
He continued, "They were laying out the options, and as they were talking, Chris was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, 'No, I'm fine.' He was like, 'No, no, no.' Even to the point where I said, 'Rock, let them finish.'"
For the unversed, the LAPD confirmed in a statement that Rock "declined to file a police report." As per The Hollywood Reporter, Packer also shared that he did not speak with Smith on Oscars night.
While presenting the best documentary feature award at the Oscars, comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head.
Rock said he couldn't wait to see Pinkett Smith which led Smith to go up on stage and slap Rock. Smith returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife's name out of your fu**ing mouth!"
A few minutes after the incident, Smith was announced Best Actor at the 94th Academy Awards. While accepting his first-ever Oscar for best actor (leading role) in 'King Richard', Smith apologised to the Academy and fellow nominees but did not mention Rock.
Following heavy backlash over the incident, Smith took to Instagram on Monday to apologise to Rock. It was recently revealed that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences met with Smith to discuss the incident before the emergency board meeting.
Following that meeting, the Academy announced that Smith had violated the group's code of conduct and faced "suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions." The Academy also revealed that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony following the incident, but he refused.