Oscars Viewers Think They Have Proven That The Will Smith Slap Was Fake

Some Oscars viewers are convinced that Will Smith's smack of Chris Rock was fake.

Last night, Will Smith's apparent attack on Chris Rock after the presenter made a jibe at wife Jada Pinkett Smith led to the Men in Black star seemingly becoming so enraged that he took to the stage to hit Rock.

Social media users have been left divided over whether or not the slap was real or not.

However, using slowed down footage of the moment, some have since reasoned that the altercation was staged.

A Twitter user posted a slowed down version of the hit, focusing in on Rock's face as Smith goes to whack him.

The caption reads: "Chris Rock grimacing for what he knows is coming.

"His hand barely grazed him. Actors, especially action actors like Will Smith, know how to pull a punch (or slap) This was staged."

Smith took to the stage after Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith's shaved head - a result of her alopecia.

Despite initially appearing to laugh at the joke, after seeing Pinkett Smith's reaction, Smith strode up on stage and seemingly whacked Rock right in the face, leaving the audience and viewers at home equally as bewildered as to whether or not the moment was a skit or not.

However, after taking his seat and shouting, 'Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth,' twice upstage to Rock, the moment grew a lot more tense, the auditorium having fallen utterly silent.

While Ryan Reynold's apparent reaction to the slap may not have appeared to be what it first seemed, other celebrities' horrified expressions, ranging from wide-eyes, furrowed brows, and gaping open mouths, seemed to confirm that the hit was real.

Alongside the surrounding celebrities' reactions to the moment - and Smith's continued verbal attack on Rock as he took his seat - other users have insisted that Smith 'did in fact smack' Rock.

They even used similar slowed down footage to argue their point.

While the moment has kicked up a frenzy on social media, neither Smith nor Rock have confirmed whether or not the hit was real.

However, upon accepting his award for Best Actor, Smith did apologise to the Academy and all his 'fellow nominees' for his behaviour.

He noted how you've 'gotta be able to take abuse' and 'have people talk crazy about you,' reflecting on advice offered to him by Denzel Washington that in 'your highest moments' you need to 'be careful' because 'that's when the devil comes for you'.

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Topics: Will Smith, Oscars, Jada Pinkett Smith

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.