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Chris Rock Won't Bring Charges Despite Attack

Actor Will Smith approaches Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars and slaps his face Sunday
Actor Will Smith approaches Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars and slaps his face Sunday. (Robyn Beck/Getty Images)

By    |   Monday, 28 March 2022 03:35 PM EDT

Comedian Chris Rock will not be pressing charges against actor Will Smith following their onstage altercation at Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Smith walked on stage and confronted Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife's bald head. Jada Pinkett Smith previously has said she lives with alopecia, an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss.

Rock declined to file a police report, the LAPD told CNN on Monday.

"LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program," the department told CNN in a statement. "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."

Smith, who later during the program won the award for best actor for "King Richard," walked on stage and slapped Rock in what at first appeared to be a scripted joke. But the mood quickly turned somber when Smith, back in his seat, shouted back, "Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth."

Smith had confronted Rock after the comedian said: "Jada, I love you; 'G.I. Jane 2,' can't wait to see it," the camera cut to Pinkett Smith, who rolled her eyes.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences responded to incident by saying in a tweet that it did not condone violence.

"The Academy does not condone violence of any form," the tweet read. "Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world."

During his speech to accept his Oscar, Smith apologized to the Academy Awards and his fellow nominees for the incident but did not mention Rock by name.

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US
Comedian Chris Rock will not be pressing charges against actor Will Smith following their onstage altercation at Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
chris rock, will smith, oscars, violence, assault, lapd, charges, actors
308
2022-35-28
Monday, 28 March 2022 03:35 PM
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