Will Smith news - live: ‘Heartbroken’ actor’s resignation from the Academy accepted by organisation
Best Actor winner resigns from Motion Picture Academy, saying list of those harmed by Oscars slap is “long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones”
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Nearly a week after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, Hollywood is still abuzz with activity, as celebrities weigh in on the incident, while a “formal review” of the incident began at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Now they’ve got something new to talk about: the King Richard star has resigned from the Academy, which puts on the Oscars.
“The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” Smith said in a statement. “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.”
It’s the latest sign of friction between the Hollywood heavyweight and the film group.
Smith was reportedly asked to leave the Oscars after breaking the Academy’s code of conduct, but he refused.
Though Mr Rock has declined to press charges against Mr Smith, on Wednesday, during the sold-out Boston show of his Ego Death tour, Rock finally addressed the altercation and said he was “still processing.”
“I’m still processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s***,” the comedian also said on stage, adding, “It’ll be serious. It’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes.”
You can follow all the developments about the “slap that was heard around the world” in our live blog below...
Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena whom Will Smith portrayed, speaks out on the altercation
Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams whom Will Smith portrayed in King Richard, has been asked about the star’s actions.
In a statement to NBC News via his son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane, Williams said: “We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defence.”
In his acceptance speech after slapping Rock, Smith compared himself to Williams’ famous on-air defence of his daughter Venus during a TV interview in 1995.
“Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father – just like they said about Richard Williams,” said Smith. “But love will make you do crazy things.”
Richard Williams on Will Smith’s Oscars slap: ‘We don’t condone hitting anyone’
The father of Venus and Serena Williams, who is played by Will Smith in his latest film, was asked about the actor’s on-stage skirmish
Will Smith has been called a “bully” and a “narcissist” by Entourage creator Doug Ellin after slapping Chris Rock.
Smith struck the comedian around the face at the oscars after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
The comedy writer wrote on Twitter argued that the moment stole the limelight from the evening’s winners.
He branded Smith “an overly sensitive out of control bully”.
Read more here.
Entourage creator calls Will Smith a ‘bully’ and a ‘narcissist’ after Chris Rock slap
Doug Ellin also said Smith was ‘oversensitive’
Jim Carrey has responded to Will Smith hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The actor is among the latest in a line of celebrities who have weighed in on the dramatic moment, which took place after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head, referring to her as “GI Jane”.
In an interview with CBS This Morning , Carrey expressed his disapproval of how the situation was handled,criticising his “standing ovation”.
He also suggested he believes Smith “should have been” arrested for the incident.
Read more here.
Jim Carrey says Will Smith ‘should have been’ arrested for hitting Chris Rock
‘I’d have announced this morning that I was suing for Will for $200m,’ actor added
Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert all commented on the Will Smith-Chris Rock slap on their respective late night shows.
Find out what they said here.
How late-night hosts reacted to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock
‘We will never stop talking about this,’ Jimmy Kimmel said.
Jada Pinkett Smith has shared her first social media post since her husband hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The post simply states the following words against a pale pink background: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”. Pinkett Smith did not add a caption to her post and has imposed restrictions on who can and cannot leave a comment underneath.
Her post follows after her husband’s statement apologising to Rock for his actions.
Read more here.
Jada Pinkett Smith breaks silence after Will Smith hits Chris Rock
‘This is a season for healing,’ reads quote
Was Chris Rock’s Jada Pinkett Smith joke scripted?
ABC executive Robb Mills has said that the comedian ad-libbed the GI Jane joke that prompted Best Actor awardee Will Smith to walk up to the stage and hit Rock.
He added that the Oscars productions team, including director Glenn Weiss, realised something was wrong when Rock swore on live television.
Read the full report here.
Chris Rock’s Oscars joke about Will Smith’s wife Jada not scripted, insider says
‘You started to realise this is real once Chris, who certainly knows the limits of broadcast standards, said, ‘Will Smith slapped the s*** out of me’
Chris Rock tickets sales surge in the wake of Will Smith slap
Chris Rock is due to kick off his comedy tour this week, returning to the stage at Boston’s Wilbur Theatre for a run of shows, before traveling across the US and UK for his Ego Death World Tour.
The on-stage incident between Will Smith and Rock appears to have boosted interest in the comedian’s tour, with ticket sales spiking following the Oscars on Sunday night.
Read more here.
Chris Rock tickets for live tour spike after Will Smith Oscars slap
Comedian is touring in the US and the UK for his Ego Death tour
Adam Sandler joins long list of celebrities defending Chris Rock
Support for Chris Rock continues in the aftermath of Sunday’s Oscars, with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler becoming the latest celebrity to defend the comedian.
Sandler, who has known Rock since the two joined Saturday Night Live together in 1990, tweeted out a plug for the comedian’s forthcoming Ego Death World Tour – presumably giving ticket sales a further boost.
The star of movies including Uncut Gems and Just Got With It, Sandler also wrote: “Love you buddy!”
Read the full story here:
Will Smith’s mum speaks out on his Chris Rock Oscars slap
Will Smith’s mum has said she was “surprised” upon seeing her son slap Chris Rock, adding that Smith is a “very even, people person” in a new interview.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime,” Caroline Smith told Philadelphia news station Action News, adding: “I’ve never seen him do that.”
The actor’s mother also revealed she spoke to Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday, the day after the dramatic ceremony and advised him to get some rest.
Read more here.
Will Smith’s mum speaks out over shock of Chris Rock Oscars slap
Caroline Bright says she was shocked by Will Smith’s outburst at the Oscars
A joke Chris Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars in 2016 has resurfaced after Will Smith hit him during the latest ceremony.
During the ceremony, Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while he was presenting an award.
“Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you,” Rock said, in seeming reference to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Last year, Pinkett Smith announced she had shaved her head after being diagnosed with alopecia.
But, a crude joke he made about Pinkett Smith in 2016 is being circulated online following the incident.
Jacob Stolworthy has the full story.
Chris Rock joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resurfaces after he’s hit by Will Smith
Rock has a history of making quips about Pinkett Smith
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