Will Smith defends his Wife with a Wallop! ?

Susie42, good answer. I think it would have made a very nuanced response to walk out and would have had much the same effect without the violence.
Personally I think Will Smith was in shock with his actions and that is why he cried. From what I have read, Chris Rock had not made that "off the cuff" joke in the rehearsals and from watching the uncensored footage, he absolutely knew he had overstepped the mark. He actually muttered the word, "genocide," immdiately afterwards which suggests that his thrust was meant to be hurtful. He reminds me of a smiling assassin.

There’s absolutely no way that it was planned.

Smith’s actions have put the future of several productions in jeopardy.
It’s going to affect hundreds of peoples jobs and cost an enormous amount of money, and at a time when the film industry isn’t flourishing.
The only people it’s good news for is Rock and lots and lots of lawyers.

Right reason, wrong method. But it makes you wonder how Ricky Gervais got off so lightly a couple of years ago. Part of me wonders if it was staged to take everyones mind off all the other things happening in the world, see and unseen but that the execution of it went wrong for Will, and don't forget, he did laugh out loud at first.

It was not. Jeezy peeps.

I've no doubt Jackie Chan would have leapt in to save the day if it had all gone pear-shaped.

?

The way he gestured to that interviewer was absolutely threatening, leaning towards him and saying 'be careful what you say' etc. It was creepy and intimidating. I wonder what WS would have done if the guy had said the wrong thing. ?

Volver I know! He came across as lovely in that clip!

The only thing that is shocking is that anybody thinks Smith was making "very threatening gestures".

Please look at the link I posted which is quite shocking:
In 2010 Will Smith was seen making very threatening gestures to a Spanish host talking about his wife.
Will Smith and Pablo Motos 2010

It’s basically tittle tattle Maddy
No one previously has had their Oscar taken off them, including Weinstein.
So it does look unlikely

I think volver’s right about removal of the Oscar, it won’t happen. Has someone said it will?

Well to some extent you’re right volver. But only partially right in my opinion because we don’t control what’s in the papers or reported on the news. I haven’t read anything about this except what’s on here, so you’re right about social media.

volver

They're not going to take his Oscar away.

Mystic Meg Volver has spoken.

Okay!
Shall we have a little bet on it?

(Tbh, I’m not sure, but I’m leaning towards they will; and I’ll do anything for a bit of low level fun!)

You name the stakes volves!

It will run for ages if we all keep reading the articles and commenting on it on social media sites.

After that display of anger he shouldn’t have got his Oscar in my opinion. I think Urmstongran could be right, this could run on for ages.

They're not going to take his Oscar away.

Mystic Meg Volver has spoken.

I agree with much of what you say Urms

I also think that a spell in rehab beckons; whether it’s for anger management; addiction; or both.

Plus more revelations about the Smith’s’ marriage.

Smith will be doing everything he can do to retain his Oscar.

Bet he didn’t return his award ha! It's no longer about the movies but a vehicle for the Academy to virtue signal their support for minorities. Who cares anymore?

This powder puff pretend drama will go on and on. Tearful interview with Smith, contrition, begging for understanding from the public, a delayed film premiere, public penance, forgiveness from the public, and the climax will be a public hug at the Oscars next year between Smith and Rock followed by a standing ovation for the maturity both are showing.

Then back to normal - which is self obsession, no self awareness, cheap emotions, nihilism and excess, super sized salaries for a bunch of good looking but just.....average people.

Literally entertainment for the masses on all levels. I’m already fed up of this story. I just swipe the pages across in the newspapers when I see them.

He’s now resigned from the Academy. Not sure what that means but I imagine he won’t be able to attend anymore and can’t win another Oscar.

As a side note I watched King Richard two nights ago and, although I enjoyed it, probably more so as I’m a tennis nut, I didn’t find anything extraordinary about his performance. Certainly nothing worthy of Best Actor, IMHO.

Shropshirelass

It was just a slap, Rock is lucky it wasn’t a punch because that it what he deserved! Will Smith has never done anything like this before and was provoked. Rock was out of order, he should not have made a joke about Will’s wife and saying he did not know she had a medical condition makes it all the worse. Will was being the perfect husband.

Wrong, Will Smith is lucky it wasn't a punch, had he knocked the guy to the ground the fallout would have been a whole lot worse for him!

Check this out! In 2010 Will Smith was seen making very threatening gestures to a Spanish host talking about his wife. This is quite shocking and scary for the host:
Will Smith and Pablo Motos 2010

kevincharley

What puzzles me is that he seemed to laugh at the joke, then went and 'slapped' him and went off stage smirking.
I can't help but feel this was some kind of publicity stunt.

It had all the appearance of a planned stunt to me.

Violence is never the answer.
Allsorts is right.

Shropshirelass. You’re wrong in your assertion that WS has never done anything like this before. There’s video of him slapping a man whilst doing promotion for Men in Black 3. Also he made jokes about a man’s baldness on a tv show some years ago.

Allsorts Your post is spot on and I agree.

It was just a slap, Rock is lucky it wasn’t a punch because that it what he deserved! Will Smith has never done anything like this before and was provoked. Rock was out of order, he should not have made a joke about Will’s wife and saying he did not know she had a medical condition makes it all the worse. Will was being the perfect husband.

Will Smith smiled as he walked away from slapping Chris Rock. His own son says proudly “that’s the way we do it”. His wife’s reaction to the joke was what prompted him to do it. It’s not a marriage, it’s a partnership of sorts. You don’t sleep around if you love and respect someone. You don’t assault people and your child think that’s how you do it. It’s OK. You’re one if the important people, you can get away with anything, just cry about it an hour later without apologising to the person you assaulted to save your career.