Will Smith Said He Chose 'Chaos' in Video Posted Ahead of Chris Rock Slapping Incident

Will Smith took the stage at the 2022 Oscars to smack Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair

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Published on March 28, 2022 09:50 AM

Will Smith was having fun posing for the camera before he went onstage and smacked Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards.

On Sunday evening, Rock, 57, joked to Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith in the audience, "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya," as he was introducing the Oscar for Best Documentary. Pinkett Smith, 50, has been embracing a bald hairstyle as she lives with alopecia, which causes bald spots and hair loss.

The Red Table Talk host looked unimpressed and Smith, 53, initially laughed from his seat, but later took to the stage to smack Rock across the face.

In an Instagram post shared that same night, the Oscar winner later said that he chose "chaos" in the caption of a video of himself and Pinkett Smith having fun before a green backdrop in their red carpet best.

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"Me 'n @jadapinkettsmith got all dressed up to choose chaos," the King Richard star wrote, as they smiled and playfully posed together.

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Following the now-viral moment at the 2022 Oscars, a seemingly taken-aback Rock said, "Oh wow. Will Smith just smacked the s--- out of me," as the father of three made his way back to his seat after the incident.

"Keep my wife's name out your f---ing mouth!" Smith then 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!"

94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals — Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

"I'm going to, okay?" Rock responded, before going on to say, "That was the ... greatest night in the history of television" and presenting the award.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences soon issued a statement on Twitter.

"The Academy does not condone violence of any form," the organization tweeted. "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," it continued, shifting the focus to the newly minted Oscar winners.

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will smith — Chris Rock and Will Smith at the Oscars on March 27, 2022. Robyn Beck/getty

A source told PEOPLE that the tensions between the Best Actor winner and Oscars presenter goes back several years, when Rock took aim at Pinkett Smith during his own 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 explained. "Will was still mad about that."

An onlooker at the awards show told PEOPLE that Rock "looked stunned" after being smacked by Smith, adding: "Everyone in the mezzanine was standing up to see what was going on — everyone shocked. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was looking at each other like, 'Is this really happening?' "

According to Variety, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that Rock had not filed a police report against Smith in the wake of the altercation. The LAPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

"LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program," authorities said Sunday, per the outlet. "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."

RELATED VIDEO: Will Smith Omits Chris Rock from Apology as He Wins Oscar: 'Love Makes You Do Crazy Things'

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.

"In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world," he said through tears. "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 gotta be able to take abuse; you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you, and you gotta smile and pretend like that's okay."

Smith also compared himself to his King Richard character as a "fierce defender of his family."

The actor then addressed the incident directly, offering an apology to the Academy and his fellow nominees for the incident — but failed to mention Rock.

"I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees," he said.

Smith, who was previously nominated for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, then said, "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."