Featured Image Credit: CBS/Alamy
Topics: Celebrity, Chris Rock, Entertainment, Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Film and TV
Emily Brown
Topics: Celebrity, Chris Rock, Entertainment, Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Film and TV
Jim Carrey has claimed he would have sued Will Smith for $200 million if he'd been on the receiving end of his controversial slap at the Oscars.
Carrey is among a number of celebrities who have shared their thoughts about Smith slapping comedian and Oscar presenter Chris Rock at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, 27 March, with the Ace Ventura star using a promotional interview for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 as an opportunity to express his views.
Rock has not spoken out about the altercation with Smith himself, but while Carrey said he has nothing against Will Smith, he would've taken legal action right away.
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During an interview with CBS This Morning, Carrey said he was 'sickened by the standing ovation' at the ceremony, continuing: "I felt like Hollywood is just spineless, en masse, and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren’t the cool club anymore.”
The actor went on to say Smith should have been escorted out of the room and arrested following his actions, and said that while Rock likely 'didn't want the hassle' of pressing charges, Carrey himself would have 'announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million, because that video is going to be there forever, it’s going to be ubiquitous'.
Sunday's incident unfolded when Rock made a joke relating to Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss, after which Smith stormed on stage to slap him and told Rock to keep his wife's name 'out of [his] mouth'.
In the aftermath, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said the department was 'aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program.'
In a statement cited by Entertainment Weekly, they continued: "The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report."
Carrey expressed belief the insult is 'going to last a very long time' and said there were other ways for Smith to 'show disapproval' of what Rock had said.
"But you do not have the right to walk up on stage and smack somebody in the face because they said words," he added.
The comedian also dismissed the notion the situation 'escalated' to violence, arguing: "It didn’t escalate, it came out of nowhere! Because Will has something going on inside him that’s frustrated. And I wish him the best, I really do.
"I don’t have anything against Will Smith. He’s done great things, but that was not a good moment. It cast a pall over everyone’s shining moment last night. It was just a selfish moment that cast a pall over the whole thing,” he said.
Smith has since apologised directly to Rock for his actions.
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