'Not standing was a no-brainer': Mila Kunis on the 'insane' post-slap Oscar standing ovation for Will Smith
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: Mila Kunis has revealed why she did not stand up during the Oscars for Will Smith as he received his award, shortly after he slapped Chris Rock. She also lambasted people who got up and gave the 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' star a standing ovation. She said she found it "shocking" to see how many people stood up and how it was a "no brainer" for her to not stand.
The incident has found a place in the Oscars' history books, along with other scandals. Smith slapped Rock over a joke the latter made about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith's alopecia. Soon after, he bagged the best actor Oscar for 'King Richard'. Smith was greeted with thundering applause as he walked up the stage to receive his award.
RELATED NEWS
OSCARS SLAPGATE: The behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded after Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock
While the 39-year-old 'Black Swan' actress and her 44-year-old husband Aston Kutcher might have been the only people in the room who did not stand up for Smith as he received his Oscar, in an interview with C Magazine, Mila explained her thoughts behind the gesture. She said, "The idea of leading by example only makes sense when you actually have someone to lead. We have our tiny little tribe here at home, and never once do I want to tell them to do something if I’m not willing to do it myself. Not standing up to me was a no-brainer, but what was shocking to me was how many people did stand up. I thought, wow, what a time we’re living in that rather than do what’s right, people focus on doing what looks good. It’s insane to me.”
Will Smith's slapgate drama
It all started after Rock made a joke about Jada saying, "Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can't wait to see it." He was poking fun at her baldness. Jada shaved her head because she has alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack hair follicles on the head and face, leading to sudden hair loss.
After he said this, Smith chuckled a bit but Jada looked stoic and she rolled her eyes. Soon after, Smith walks up to the stage and smacks Rock right across his face before walking back to his seat in a huff. The sudden change in the situation caught everyone off-guard. It does not end there. As Rock tries to deal with the situation, Smith yells, "Keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth."
The whole situation attracted a lot of bad press for Smith. He did apologize to the audience present in the room during his acceptance speech. However, he did not extend any apologies toward Rock until the next day. Before that, he also attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
