Ever since the infamous slap Will Smith delivered to comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, everyone has had something to say. Various celebrities, witnesses or not, have weighed in on the moment, with many condemning a certain side. Dune actor Josh Brolin recently said he couldn’t stop pacing after witnessing Smith’s slap.
The Academy Awards attendee expressed what he thought as he watched it happen. Brolin even said, “I wanna know who the f–ks at fault.”
Josh Brolin witnessed the ‘chaotic’ moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars
The 94th Academy Awards took place on March 27, 2022. Although some iconic moments unfolded, the scene that stole the show was Smith slapping Rock. As the comedian presented the Documentary Feature Oscar, Rock made a joke comparing Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, to G.I. Jane.
The similarity, you ask? Well, Rock thought Pinkett Smith would make the perfect G.I. Jane due to her baldness. However, the joke didn’t sit right with Smith. The King Richard star felt the comedian was taking an insensitive jab at his wife, who, as many fans know, has battled alopecia for years.
Smith walked on stage and slapped Rock hard across his face. Rock maintained his cool, even making light of the situation. However, the backlash was immediate, with several people condemning the actor.
The day after the Oscars, the Armchair Expert podcast interviewed Brolin about his acting career, sobriety, and masculinity. A few minutes into the discussion, Dax Shepard’s co-host, Monica Padman, asked the Avengers: Endgame star what he thought about the incident.
Brolin revealed that he was there when Smith slapped Rock. Shepard elaborated, “Let’s just say that you witnessed something pretty chaotic.”
After Shepard detailed a fight, he witnessed at a 7-Eleven, Brolin related the story, saying, “You’re like, ‘This is where I’ve intended to be my whole life.’ By the way, not a good thing. That’s not a good thing.” The actor was alluding to the fact that he’s tried to get into the middle of fights throughout his life.
Brolin explained, “If you carry a rage inside you, you are looking to manifest that rage somewhere. You are looking for the hole to fill with your rage, and you want to be the leader of that rage.”
Josh Brolin wanted to be at the center of the action at the Oscars
Brolin continued by revealing that he and his son discussed the Oscars situation on his way to the interview. The actor noted that his son told him he started pacing after it occurred; he could feel the tension. Brolin said, “I was at the Oscars and I couldn’t stop pacing. Because a part of me wanted to be in the center of it.”
He noted that he intended to “know who the f–k is at fault.” Brolin clearly felt worked up by the event — just like many viewers felt as they wondered what would happen in the aftermath.
Brolin had an interesting take on violence and parental trauma, saying, “Kids will either emulate it to try and understand why it was, or they’ll do the opposite.” The actor further noted that both of these trauma responses are unhealthy.
The slap wasn’t the only thing that bugged Brolin about that night. The actor expressed his disappointment to Collider interview over Denis Villeneuve’s Oscars snub.
Other celebrities who’ve discussed the Will Smith slap
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Various celebrities came out following the incident. They weighed in on who was in the wrong in the scenario. While most seemed to side with Smith’s reaction, others condemned him for the ostentatious behavior.
While attending the TD Jakes Leadership Summit, Red Line actor Denzel Washington suggested that “the devil got ahold of that circumstance that night.” He further advised those in attendance to be careful as the devil strikes when one is at their highest moment.
The Mask actor Jim Carrey expressed his disgust at the night’s events. He condemned the applause Smith received when he won the Best Actor award for his King Richard role. Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk also said he found the slap extremely disturbing and that Smith “needs some real help.”
In response to Will Smith’s behavior, the Academy banned him for 10 years.
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