In an exclusive interview with TJ Holmes of ABC News, Oscars 2022 producer Will Packer spoke about how the events behind the scenes unfolded after Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith at Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards.
Packer detailed how the Los Angeles Police Department was prepared to place Smith under arrest for assault, according to Good Morning America.
“That is an absolute fact,” Packer said. “The LAPD made it clear: ‘We will do whatever you want us to do, and one of the options is that we will go and arrest him right now.'”
As Packer explained in the interview, Rock was reluctant to press charges against Smith when the LAPD appeared on the scene.
“I made that clear, like, ‘Rock, you tell me, whatever you want to do, brother,'” the producer said. “The LAPD came and needed to talk to Chris. And so they came into my office and they were laying out very clearly what Chris’ rights were. They were saying: ‘This is battery. We will go get him. We will go get him right now, you can press charges, we can arrest him.'”
Rock dismissed the options and insisted he was “fine” after the incident.
On Wednesday, the Academy issued a statement explaining the organization had asked the King Richard star to leave the premises.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the statement read, CBS News reports. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”
“Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment,” the statement added. “We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.”
However, reports from sources directly connected to the altercation’s aftermath contradicted the Academy’s response, TMZ reports.
Three sources allege that there were intense conversations and an agreement on how to handle the situation could not be reached. Packer approached Smith around 8 p.m., about 35 minutes after he slapped Rock, and informed him he could remain at the ceremony, according to TMZ. About five minutes later, Smith won the award for best actor.
On Monday, a day after the incident, Packer took to Twitter and joked that he made good on his promise that the show would not be boring.
Welp…I said it wouldn’t be boring #Oscars
— Will Packer (@willpowerpacker) March 28, 2022
However, a Twitter user scolded him for the tweet. Packer later revealed that the ordeal “was a very painful moment for me.”
Black people have a defiant spirit of laughter when it comes to dealing with pain because there has been so much of it. I don’t feel the need to elucidate that for you. But I also don’t mind being transparent and say that this was a very painful moment for me. On many levels. https://t.co/zzgeKIqrHm
— Will Packer (@willpowerpacker) March 28, 2022
Packer revealed that Smith called and apologized to him for his outburst.
“He apologized and he said: ‘You know, this should have been a gigantic moment for you,'” Packer recalled, according to GMA. “He expressed his embarrassment and that was the extent of it.”
On Tuesday, Smith allegedly apologized to other Oscars producers in a six-minute Zoom call, GMA reports.
On Wednesday, the Academy’s Board of Governors said that it has initiated a disciplinary process against Smith. It will make a final decision at the next board meeting scheduled for April 18 to determine if the star will face expulsion, suspension or other sanctions.
