Los Angeles police were ready to arrest the actor Will Smith at the awards ceremony Oscar on Sunday, because slapped the presenter Chris Rocksaid the producer of the event in an interview that aired today.
Authorities did not take action because Rock refused to file a lawsuit, he said Will Packerrepeating a statement by a police spokesman on Sunday.
“They said, ‘You know, this is violence, that was the word they were using at the time,'” Packer said in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
During the live broadcast of the film awards ceremony, Smith took to the stage after Rock joked about his wife’s appearance and then slapped the comedian.
“This feeling of ‘what happened now? Is it real?’ Prevailed,” Packer recalls.
Almost an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech as he received the Best Actor award.
As Packer describes it, as Smith walked to the stage to receive his award, some in the crowd stood up and applauded him for their support.
“All these people saw their friend at his worst and hoped they could encourage and inspire him,” he said.
In the background, police were discussing his options with Rock, Packer said.
Rock “was very negative about these choices. He would say, “No, no, no, I’m fine.” I got to the point of saying “Rock, let them finish”.
The producer also said that he contacted the leadership of the Academy to inform them that Rock did not want Smith to leave.
“I told them that Rock made it clear that he did not want to make things worse.”
In fact, Rock’s decision to continue the presentation of the ceremony was the one that saved the show, Will Packer stressed.
“Because Chris handled the situation with such grace, he was allowed to continue the show,” he said.
“He certainly saved what was left of it at that moment.”
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
