Police offered to arrest Will Smith, Oscars producer reveals behind the scenes
Los Angeles police were present at the Dolby Theatre and offered to arrest actor Will Smith for slapping presenter Chris Rock, the producer of the Academy Awards said on Thursday. The authorities, however, did not any action because Rock declined to press charges against Smith, producer Will Packer said.
“They were saying, you know, this is a battery, was a word they used at that moment,” Packer said in excerpts from an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” that will air on Friday.
“They said, we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now,” Packer added.
During the award ceremony, Smith walked up to the stage and slapped the comedian after he made a joke about the appearance of the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia, a medical condition that causes hair loss.
“Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya,” Rock said referencing the 1997 film “G.I. Jane” in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head.
It was unclear whether Rock was aware of Jada Pinkett’s medical condition that causes hair loss.
Packer said that police were discussing options with Rock who was “was being very dismissive of those options”.
“He was like, ‘No, no, no, I’m fine.’ And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish,'” Packer added.
Smith, later, apologised for his behaviour, saying he was “out of line” and he had “reacted emotionally”.
Legal experts have said that Smith’s action was clearly a crime but even if the actor is prosecuted and convicted, he can get away with a penalty as light as having to attend anger management classes.
Packer’s revelation echoes the statement of a police spokesperson who said Rock had declined to press charges, but did not provide details about the interactions at the awards show.
