Chris Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith was reportedly unvetted before the Oscars 2022, claim Insiders.
The comedian, 57, could be in trouble with Academy Award bosses after making a joke during the ceremony about Jada’s shaved head following her ongoing battle with alopecia.
Insiders say there was no reference to Jada, 50, or her husband, Will Smith, 53, at all during rehearsals for the star-studded event.
A source told Us Weekly that Chris initially rehearsed his speech with no mention of Jada, with scripts always being examined by bosses
The insider added: “Will was not in attendance for the rehearsal.”
During his speech, the comic jokingly compared Jada’s haircut to G.I. Jane, a well-known film released in 1997 that follows a female character who has a buzz cut.
Chris joked: “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2 , can’t wait to see you.”
His dig was met with fury by Will who stormed the stage and smacked Chris across the face, leaving the audience completely stunned.
The King Richard actor returned to his seat and repeatedly screamed, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!”.
The actor later went on to win the prestigious Best Actor award for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard.
He addressed the incident during his acceptance speech, issuing a formal apology to The Academy.
He said: “I want to apologise to the academy and I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees.
“Love will make you do crazy things.”
Oscars bosses have condemned Will’s behaviour and announced they will be launching a formal investigation into the situation.
In a statement, they said: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
Jada has been open about her ongoing struggle with hair loss due to alopecia.
In December, she posted a video on Instagram and pointed out a patch of baldness following years of battling the condition.
She said: “Now at this point, I can only laugh. Y’all know I’ve been struggling with alopecia and just all of a sudden one day, look at this line right here.
“But you know, mama’s going to put some rhinestones in there, and I’m going to make me a little crown.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk