Ahead of his interview on Good Morning America on Friday, Oscars producer Will Packer reveals Will Smith was reportedly one small decision away from being arrested. According to TMZ, Packer will sit down with GMA to explain the moment when Smith slapped Chris Rock only moments before his triumphant best actor victory.
Packer reveals that LAPD officers were present and prepared to arrest Smith if Rock wanted to press charges in a preview clip. Reports from Oscars night noted that Rock opted to skip pressing charges and still seems to be trying to process the incident. But according to Packer, the LAPD officers present backstage were willing to head out to take Smith from the crowd and into custody.
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Meanwhile, Smith’s actions and The Academy’s decision not to remove him from the venue after the slap continue raising eyebrows. The GMA interview comes on the heels of multiple reports indicating that Oscars’ showrunners were ready to expel Smith, but he refused. There are also allegations that The Academy didn’t attempt to remove Smith at all.
A newly released video gives fans and viewers a more straightforward look at wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her reaction to the slap. In the video, she can be seen laughing as Smith makes his way to confront Rock. This changes after the slap, when awkward energy quickly spreads throughout the room.
As for Rock, he reportedly was being dismissive of the police questions, wanting nothing to do with any charges before police were even finished their questioning. The result is an event that has captivated people around the globe, controlled headlines throughout the week and has surely changed a lot of attitudes toward Smith.
Smith apologized to The Academy and eventually apologized to Rock in an emotional statement on Twitter. Rock broke his silence slightly during a stand-up show in Boston, noting that he’d discuss it in more detail in the future, but was just noting that it happened in the immediate aftermath. Packer’s Good Morning America interview will air in full on Friday.
