Will Smith slapping Chris Rock overshadows historic Oscar Awards
Glamour, glitter and a slap that could’ve been out of a movie – This year’s Oscars have been a night to remember!
Will Smith is slapping Chris Rock (Source: Reuters via Tomasz Kammel / Instagram)
Chris Rock got punched by Will Smith
One major stand-out for sure was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock unexpectedly during the award show after joking about Jada Pinkett Smith’s (Will’s wife) haircut comparing it to Demi Moore’s buzzcut in the 1997 film G.I. Jane.
Source: IMDb via National World & Jada Pinkett Smith / Instagram
Chris Rock was shocked but tried to laugh it off whereas the Oscar-nominated actor shouted: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth”.
Rock responded by saying: "That was the greatest night in the history of television."
Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken out publicly about her auto-immune disease alopecia, which causes hair loss. Back in December 2021 she shaved her hair completely.
The winners
The award for Best Picture went to CODA. Released on Apple TV+, the movie follows a hearing girl growing up in a deaf family and supporting her family’s fishing business. It has become the first movie on a streaming platform to take home an Oscar award. Another historic moment at the Awards was Troy Kotsur becoming the first deaf person to win Best Supporting Actor.
Troy Kotsur is the first deaf actor to win an Oscar (Source: The Academy/Instagram)
Will Smith not only provided an eye-catching moment on stage by slapping Chris Rock, but he also won Best Actor for his role in King Richard. He portrayed the father of then younger tennis legends, Serena and Venus Williams. In his acceptance speech he thanked his family and apologized to the Academy – leaving out Chris Rock.
The award for Best Actress was given to Jessica Chastain for her role as Tammy Faye in the biopic, The Eyes of Tammy. The late Tammy Faye Bakker supported the LGTBQ+ community which caused her marriage to crumble. Chastain said in her acceptance speech that, “discriminatory and bigoted legislation […] is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us”, and praised Bakker for her continuous activism.
Jessica Chastain has won her first Oscar (Source: Luis Alberto Rodriguez / Instagram)
Although the Western Drama The Power of the Dog was nominated for the most awards this year with twelve nominations, the film only received one Oscar. Jane Campion won the award for Best Director making her the third woman to ever win an award in that category.
Another big win on the cards was the movie Belfast. Sir Kenneth Branagh was awarded an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film focuses on the childhood of a nine-year-old named Buddy growing up in the Northern Irish capital during the 60s and having to cope with the violent environment that surrounded him. Sir Branagh paid tribute to Belfast in his acceptance speech and acknowledged the people lost during that time.
Dune wins the most Oscar awards of the evening
The movie Dune has won six Oscars at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The film had a total of ten nominations focussing especially on the off-screen achievements such as Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects.
Oscars 2022
Best Picture – CODA
Best Actor – Will Smith
Best Actress – Jessica Chastain
Best Supporting Actress – Ariana DeBose
Best Supporting Actor – Troy Kotsur
Best Original Screenplay – Belfast
Best Adapted Screenplay – Coda
Best Director – Jane Campion
Best Animated Short – The Windshield Wiper
Best Animated Feature – Encanto