Chris Rock has declined to file a police report after Will Smith went onstage and smacked the comedian across the face at the 2022 Academy Awards, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
“LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program,” the LAPD said in a statement, obtained by Variety. “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,” the statement continued.
Representatives for Rock did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Robyn Beck/getty Chris Rock and Will Smith
The debacle at Sunday’s awards show unraveled after Rock, 57, joked to Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith about her hair loss, which she recently opened up about as a result of her years-long struggle with alopecia. “Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya,” he joked.
Smith, 53, then walked onto the stage and smacked Rock in the face, leaving the audience and live viewers around the world stunned. “Oh wow,” said a seemingly taken-aback Rock as Will made his way back to his seat. “Will Smith just smacked the s— out of me.”
“Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” Smith yelled up to the stage at Rock after taking his seat again.
“Wow, dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke,” said Rock — to which Smith replied once again, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!”
“I’m going to, okay?” Rock replied, before going on to say, “That was the … greatest night in the history of television” and presenting the award.
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Richard Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S. / SplashNews.com
Smith later acknowledged the moment in his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor for his performance as Venus and Serena Williams‘ father Richard Williams in King Richard, although he omitted Rock from his apology.
“I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees,” he said.
The actor, who was previously nominated for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, then joked, “Art imitates life: I look like the crazy father. Just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things.”
He later added, “Being able to love and care for my mother and my family, my wife … Thank you for this honor. Thank you for this moment. … I hope the Academy invites me back.”
Following the incident, the Academy also condemned Smith’s actions in a statement: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”
A source later told PEOPLE that the heated exchange between the Best Actor winner and Oscars presenter goes back several years, when Rock took aim at Pinkett Smith, 50, during Rock’s hosting gig at the 2016 Academy Awards.
“When Chris hosted the Oscars in 2016, Jada was boycotting because of ‘Oscars So White.’ In his monologue, he made fun of her, saying she can’t boycott something she wasn’t invited to,” the insider explains. “Will was still mad about that.”
At the time, Rock made a jab at Jada in his opening monologue. “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna‘s panties. I wasn’t invited,” he said.
