This is the moment Will Smith raises his hand to a Spanish TV presenter and warns him “Be careful what you say to my wife” as he wraps his arm around her.
Video footage from 2010 of the moment the Hollywood actor stared at Spanish broadcaster Pablo Motos up close as he held Jada Pinkett Smith to him resurfaced Wednesday after the 53-year-old star told Oscar host Chris Rock hit on stage on Sunday.
Motos, who hosts popular Spanish TV show El Hormiguero, which King Richard star Smith has visited on several occasions, was just about to compliment her on her beauty and professional success after giving advice to the couple’s son Jaden on how you make it in the film business.
But the diminutive host only got as far as saying Jada’s name before the six-foot-tall star raised his right hand and barked in Spanish, “Pablo, be careful with the words you use for my wife, okay?”
He then motioned for Motos to start talking while craning his neck forward to show him that he would listen very carefully to every word he said.
Smith replied: “Very good, very good,” as the Spanish star said he wasn’t surprised at actress Jada’s success in Hollywood, before telling her she was beautiful “outside and in” after her husband warned him again had: “Cuidado, cuidado”. means “be careful” in English.
The resurfaced clip has come to light following the now infamous TV slap Smith passed on to Rock.
The academy announced on Wednesday that it had asked Smith to leave the Dolby Theater following the shocking incident, but the actor declined.
Smith – who just minutes later won the Best Actor award for his role in King Richard – shocked the crowd and viewers at home on Sunday when he took the stage during Rock’s speech after the comedian made a joke about Jada .
Rock said, “Jada, I love you. “GI Jane 2,” can’t wait to see it.”
The joke hit a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis.
Will Smith then strode onto the stage and slapped Rock in the face. Back in his seat, Smith called Rock twice to “get my wife’s name out of your (eloquent) mouth.”
Will Smith told TV host Pablo Motos on the popular Spanish show El Hormiguero in 2010 to “be careful of the words you use about my wife, okay” while eyeing him
Smith got closer to Motos to ensure the host knew he was all ears about what he was going to say next about his wife – Jada Pinkett Smith
Smith later warns Motos again with “Cuidado, cuidado,” which means “be careful, be careful,” after the popular Spanish TV character complimented Jada’s beauty and career success
The August 26, 2010 TV moment ended with Pablo hugging Jada before high-fiveing Will, proving the actor at the center of the Oscar controversy was just fooling around with his threats.
But the footage was rescued by eagle-eyed social media users on Wednesday after the extraordinary attack on Chris Rock that followed his poorly received joke about Smith’s wife’s alopecia.
It resurfaced hours after Ukrainian reporter-turned-prankster Vitalii Sediuk opened up about the moment a decade ago when he was pushed and hand-slapped in the face after hitting Smith on the red carpet at a premiere in Moscow hugged and tried to kiss him.
Spanish film lover Toni Morejon said of the old footage shot at El Hormiguero: “A long time ago, Will Smith warned Pablo Motos what could happen to him,” before ending his tweet with the hashtag #Oscars.
Motos is a household name in Spain, where he has interviewed Justin Bieber, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper and Chris Hemsworth, among others.
Earlier this year, the TV presenter branded former Chelsea and Man United manager Jose Mourinho the “liar” after accusing him of dirty tricks to get his daughter Matilde into an interview with the Canadian singer in 2012.
Mourinho is more used to being called the ‘special’, having the famous moniker stuck with him in the years after he used it to describe himself in his first spell at Stamford Bridge in 2004.
The Spanish TV presenter claimed the football manager fooled him into giving him an interview in exchange for free tickets to Matilde and a friend.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars on Sunday after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. On Monday, Smith apologized for his actions
After hitting Rock, a visibly angry Smith returned to his seat and began yelling repeatedly, “Keep my wife’s name out of your friggin’ mouth.”
On Tuesday, Smith indirectly apologized to comedian and Oscars master of ceremonies Chris Rock after slamming him for a distasteful joke about his wife Jada on TV on Sunday, saying a joke about her “health condition was too much for me and Bear.” I reacted emotionally’
Motos has also developed a close relationship with Will Smith over the years following his numerous appearances on his TV show.
He said of the Oscar incident in his programme, which is now being shown on Antena 3: “While it is clear that the violence is unjustifiable and that Will Smith screwed it up and the Hollywood market will surely pay him dearly, I want us to understand the other side.
“Chris Rock needs to know that if you use freedom of expression in public, you have to assume that you will pay a price. Freedom of expression is not free, and those of us around this table know that.”