LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Will Smith shocked the world after he slapped Oscars host Chris Rock on stage in March 2022.
One of the celebrities who was surprised more than any other was fellow Oscars-winner Sean Penn!
The ‘Milk’ star said in an interview with Variety, “I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once. He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f*****g good in King Richard."
He added, "So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f****g thing? Why did I go to f*****g jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?"
Why was Sean Penn sent to jail?
Penn was of course referring to a 1987 incident when he was sent to jail for 60 days after punching and spitting on an extra on the set of the movie 'Colors.'
As per the LA Times, the ‘Mystic River’ actor, however, served only 33 days behind bars.
Meanwhile, Smith apologized for his actions and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The body further banned him from attending its events for 10 years.
"My behavior was unacceptable," he also said in his video message, "trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself. I'm human. I made a mistake and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s**t."
Will Packer, the producer of the 2022 Oscars, told during an appearance on 'Good Morning America' that police officers were prepared to arrest Smith at the event, in case Rock pressed charges.
"They were saying, 'This is battery' — the word they used in that moment. They said, 'We will go get him. We are prepared to get him right now, you can press charges. We can arrest him.' They were laying out the options," Packer said at the time.
Rock later decided not to press charges.
When Oscars said 'no' to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Penn reflected on the fact that the Academy didn’t allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to share a message at the event, and if he was present, the ‘stupid violence' wouldn't have taken place.
"The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s not light-hearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith!” said Penn.
He added, “This f****g b******t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy. Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened."
