Following Will Smith‘s controversial slap in the face of Chris Rock at the Oscars 2022, Los Angeles Police prepared to arrest Smith afterwards, said Will Packer, producer of the ceremony on Thursday, March 31st.
In his interview with the Good Morning America program, broadcast this Friday, April 1st, Packer assured that Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) agents appeared at the Dolby Theater and asked Rock if he wanted to press charges against the renowned actor. .
“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.’” the producer said.
“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.’“
ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE | TOMORROW ON GMA: #Oscars producer Will Packer speaks out on what happened behind the scenes, moments after actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage. pic.twitter.com/LnFnNImFJ1
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 31, 2022
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According to the producer, while the agents were detailing the options, Rock, also present in the conversation, said that he did not want to take any action. The comedian insisted that he did not want them to do anything and the producer did not interact with Smith either.
“I immediately went to the Academy leaders who were on site and said, ‘Chris Rock doesn’t want that.’ I said, ‘Rock has made it clear that he doesn’t want to make a bad situation worse.‘”
