Will Smith overshadows Oscars win after hitting Chris Rock on stage
It came just moments before his first Academy Award win
Last updated 28th Mar 2022
The Oscars were thrown into chaos after Will Smith stormed the stage and hit Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, just minutes before Smith was named best actor at the ceremony.
The incident overshadowed a night which saw Coda, which features a predominantly deaf cast, named best picture, while Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf male actor to win a gong and Sir Kenneth Branagh won the best original screenplay prize for his semi-autobiographical film Belfast.
Smith, who won his first Academy Award for King Richard, appeared to take offence to a gag Rock made about Pinkett Smith's short haircut.
The Magic Mike XXL star and Red Table Talk host has previously spoken about her struggles with alopecia and said it is what prompted her to shave her head.
Referring to Pinkett Smith's buzzcut, Rock said: "Jada, can't wait for GI Jane 2", prompting the actress to roll her eyes.
However, Smith walked up on stage and appeared to hit Rock before returning to his seat and shouting twice: "Keep my wife's name out of your *** mouth."
The altercation left Rock shocked and flustered as he tried to resume presenting the best documentary feature category.
Smith uses first Oscars speech to apologise
The incident cast a cloud over Smith's acceptance speech for his first ever Oscar, after he was named best actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard.
Smith apologised to both the Academy and his fellow nominees, but not to Rock, as he collected his gong, joking that he "looks like the crazy father."
Breaking down in tears, he said: "Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family.
"In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling me to do and be in this world."
He added: "I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.
"I know to do what we do you've got to be able to take abuse, you've got to be able to have people talk crazy about you in this business.
"You've got to be able have people disrespecting you and you've got to smile and pretend like that's OK."
He added: "I want to apologise to the Academy, I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees.
"This is a beautiful moment and I'm not crying for winning an award, it's not about winning an award for me, it's about being able to shine a light on all of the people."
He continued: "Art imitates life, I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams, but love will make you do crazy things."
After paying tribute to his mother and his family he added: "Thank you for this honour, thank you for this moment...I hope the Academy invites me back."
Academy does not "condone violence"
The Academy later said that it did not "condone violence of any form".
A tweet on the official Academy account said: "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."
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said no report had yet been filed with the force following the altercation.
"LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards programme," a spokesperson for the force told the PA news agency.
"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."
Coda defies the odds to win Best Picture
Family drama Coda, which stands for child of deaf adults, was named best picture at the ceremony, while Kotsur made history as he was named best supporting actor.
The film also won best adapted screenplay.
Kotsur dedicated his gong to "the deaf community, the Coda community and the disabled community", adding: "This is our moment".
West Side Story star Ariana DeBose won the best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Anita in the classic musical, 60 years after her predecessor in the role, Rita Moreno, earned the statuette herself.
DeBose added: "Now you see why Anita says I want to be in America because even in this weary world that we live in dreams do come true and that's a heartening thing right now."
The actress also paid tribute to Moreno, saying she "paved the way for tonnes of Anitas like me".
Concluding her speech, DeBose added: "Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus.
"Look into her eyes, you see an openly queer woman of colour, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art.
"And that's what we're here to celebrate.
"So to anyone who has ever questioned your identity or you find yourself living in the grey spaces...I promise you this, there is indeed a place for us."
Sir Kenneth won the Oscar for his screenplay for Belfast, which is based on his own childhood during the Troubles.
Collecting the statue, he said: "This is an enormous honour for my family and a great tribute to an amazing city and fantastic people."
He added: "This story is the search for joy and hope in the fact of violence and loss.
"We lost some people along the way."
He continued: "We miss them, we love them and we will never forget them and we we will never forget all of those lost in the heartbreaking, heart-warming human story of that amazing city of Belfast on the fabulous island of Ireland.
"This means a lot."
Jessica Chastain was named best actress for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye, while Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas won best original song for No Time To Die from the James Bond film of the same name.
Disney juggernaut Encanto was named best animated film at the ceremony, while Dune, an adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi novel, won six Oscars, including a best score win for composer Hans Zimmer.
Check out which films to look forward to in 2022:
Scream
Release date: 14th January 2022
Wes Craven's classic 90's horror film is having a reboot... or a sequel? (looks to be a bit of both). Definitely starting the year the right way with a bit of horror from a franchise we've all been missing.
Jackass Forever
Release Date: 4th February 2022
There's been a Jackass shaped void in our hearts for years. It's about to be filled this year with the return of Steve-O, Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the gang, with some famous faces along for the ride.
Death on the Nile
Release date: 11th February 2022
Kenneth Branagh is back with another Agatha Christie adaptation following Murder on the Orient Express back in 2017. With a brand new cast even more stacked than before, this film promises to be a proper whodunnit, keeping viewers guessing until the very end.
Uncharted
Release Date: 11th February 2022
Fresh off the tails of the immensely successful Spider-man: No Way Home, testTom Holland is starring in this video game adaptation. From the trailers this promises to be a full fledged adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones. Mark Wahlberg is also along for the ride and we are excited to see the chemistry between the two stars.
The Batman
Release date: 4th March 2022
The Bat is back 🦇, this time with a darker tone and a more emo look. This time Robert Pattinson is taking on the character as part of the next step in a R-Patz renaissance that has been taking place over the last few years. It only seems natural for the former vampire to become a full fledged bat, and we can't wait to see it. The film was shot during COVID-19 in... Birmingham of all places? Despite a few COVID related delays during production, the film is set to be released in March.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Release date: 1st April 2022
Following the success of the first film (at least after they changed Sonic's character design), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 promises more of the same bombastic fun. It also sees the return of Jim Carrey's Doctor Eggman, with the addition of Knuckles, a new villain voiced by none other than Idris Elba (yep, Luther himself).
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Release date: 8th April 2022
Finally, a new instalment in the Fantastic Beats series! And it's about time too. Life was getting pretty boring without a bit of magic in it. Whilst the film was scheduled to be released last year, its release, like many other films this year, was pushed back due to COVID-19, with the film finally being released on 8th April.
The Lost City
Release date: 15th April 2022
Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in this action-adventure romantic comedy. With this combination of genres there's really something here for everybody. The film also features Daniel Radcliffe, who we really haven't seen enough of on screen recently, and promises to be a good old fashioned blockbuster.
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Release date: 29th April 2022
Life just isn't quite the same without Downton on telly. Well, luckily the series has returned to the big screen. The new film sees the return of our favourite characters, and promises 'A New Era'.
The sequel was released on 29th April.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Release date: 5th May 2022
If the after credits scene at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home left you hungry for more, we can't blame you. Benedict Cumberbatch is back for a second instalment in the Doctor Strange series, this time accompanied by Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, Wanda.
Top Gun: Maverick
Release date: 27th May 2022
Here's another film we never thought we'd see a sequel to. Tom Cruise is here to prove he's still got it jumping back in the pilot's seat for testTop Gun: Maverick. This film was in development for a while (thanks 'rona), but swooped onto screens this year to take our breath away on 25th May.
Jurassic World Dominion
Release date: 10th June 2022
The dinos are back (with a vengeance). The last Jurassic World film left the series in a really interesting place, and Jurassic World: Dominion picks up right where that film left off. Not to mention the fact that the cast of the original film are back.
Lightyear
Release date: 17th June 2022
Buzz lightyear returns... in a way we've never seen him before. For testLightyear he's dropped the first name and this looks to be a very different affair to the Toy Story films. Buzz is blasting out of the confines of Andy's room and into the vastness of space - and we're all coming along for the ride.
Elvis
Release date: 24th June 2022
Ever wanted to know more about the King of Rock? Well your prayers have been answered this year with the release of Elvis, a biopic about... well, Elvis. This one really shouldn't be missed. It is directed by Baz Luhrmann (the director of Romeo + Juliet) and stars Tom Hanks, and Austin butler as the king himself.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Release date: 1st July 2022
Whether you love them or hate them, Minions are here to stay, as this film makes clear. Perhaps the most recognisable animated characters in the world return to the big screen this year in Minions: The Rise of Gru. This new addition in the series promised to be a real crowdpleaser.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Release date: 8th July 2022
Thor returns this year with Mjolnir (his hammer for those not versed in the MCU) in tow. This time there's a bit of a twist in the formula: Natalie Portman's Jane is returning to the Thor universe as... the new Thor? Thor blimey, didn't see that one coming, but boy are we excited to find out more.
The Railway Children Return
Release date: 15th July 2022
The sequel to the classic film The Railway Children came out this summer. It's been more than 50 years since the original film was released and actress Jenny Agutter reprised her role of Bobbie Waterbury in the sequel. The Railway Children Return also sees Sheridan Smith take on the role of Bobbie's daughter Annie.
Nope
Release date: 12th August 2022
From Jordan Peele, director of the Get Out and Us comes the next instalment in his world of horror. We know virtually nothing about this film... other than its name, which also tells us nothing about the film. We do know that the film sees the director reunite with star of Get Out and pride of Britain Daniel Kaluuya, which is exciting to say the least.
Pinocchio
Release date: 8th September 2022
Another live-action remake for us all to get excited about! Disney's classic Pinocchio is being brought back to life, with the cast including huge names such as Tom Hanks, Luke Evans, Cynthia Erivo and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Don't Worry Darling
Release date: 23rd September 2022
1D star Harry Styles is back on the big screen opposite Florence Pugh in director Olivia Wilde's follow up to 2019's Booksmart.
Hocus Pocus 2
Release date: 30th September 2022
Yep, you read that right! 1993 Disney classic Hocus Pocus officially returned with a sequel, and it landed on Disney+ on Friday 30th September.
My Policeman
Release date: 4th November 2022
Starring in yet another film, Harry Styles returned to the big screen in October 2022 in My Policeman, an Amazon Original film which landed in UK cinemas on 21st of that month, and will become available globally on Prime Video from 4th November.
As well as Harry, the film stars Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson, and Rupert Everett, in a 'beautifully crafted story of forbidden love and changing social conventions'.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release date: 11th November 2022
This year we return to Wakanda. This is a somewhat sad return following the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman. It's a good thing his role wasn't recast as he really cannot be replaced, but his absence will definitely be felt. We're sure the supporting cast of the first film will be able to step up, however, and keep the spirit of Wakanda alive.
Avatar 2
Release date: 16th December 2022
Whilst many films releasing this year have been delayed, none have experienced as many delays as the long awaited sequel to the 2009 smash hit Avatar. We can't quite believe that it's coming out this year, but it really does seem to be the case. Best get rewatching the first film before Avatar 2 releases later this year.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Release date: 23rd December
2022 really is the year for musical biopics, and we are very excited for this one. The perfect film for fans of the singer and the newly converted. The perfect way to wrap up a year of incredible cinema.