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Robyn Beck/AFP
In her first public comment after the shocking incident that overshadowed On Hollywood’s biggest night, Will Packer said he was with Rock when some police officers came to talk to him.
“They were saying this was attack. (…) They said ‘we can go for him, we are ready to bring him in right now, you can press charges and we can arrest him’. They put the options on the table,” Packer told ABC television.
“Chris was… those options. He was like ‘I’m fine’.
Los Angeles police officers “finished explaining what the options were and said ‘would you like us to do something?’ He said ‘no.’.
Los Angeles police said Sunday that Rock refused to press charges.
Smith left
Half an hour later, received & gué; the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in “King Richard: A Winning Family, the highest honor in the industry for a male actor.
He was applauded by colleagues and some present at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in charge of the awards, said Wednesday that it was asked Smith was told to leave the gala after the attack but he refused.
Some media have claimed that Packer would have asked Smith to stay on the premises, but in the brief clip of the interview with ABC broadcast this Thursday, the producer says that he did not speak. with Smith. The conversation with Packer will be released on Friday.
What the Academy said
The Academy said Wednesday that it is considering a disciplinary action that could even be the expulsion of Smith, one of the best-known stars in Hollywood, and the fifth black actor to win the Oscar in that category.
“The board of governors began Disciplinary proceedings are being filed today against Mr. Will Smith for violating the Academy’s conduct statute, including inappropriate physical contact, threatening or abusive behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the statement said.
“The Academy will take disciplinary action which may include suspension, expulsion, and other sanctions permitted by conduct regulations and statutes.”
The publication Variety said Thursday that the directors of the Academy, Dawn Hudson and David Rubin, spoke with Smith on Tuesday, a day after the organization issued. The statement from her.
The magazine said that the meeting via zoom took a while. It took about half an hour.
During the conversation, Smith apologized. for attacking Rock and said that he was aware that there would be consequences, he said. Variety.
On Monday, after the Academy condemned the the attack, Smith published an apology on Instagram in which he qualified & gué; His behavior was “unacceptable and inexcusable.”
“I want to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was wrong and I was out of place. I feel ashamed and my actions did not reflect the kind of man I want to be.”
Rock, who continued With a comedy tour in Boston this week, he told his audience that he was still “trying to process what happened.”