The controversy about Will Smith continues after his incident at this year’s Oscars. Last Sunday, the actor became the protagonist of the evening after he slapped Chris Rock, who made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
After the Rock incident, Smith’s publicist Meredith O. Sullivan, Oscar producer Will Packer and actor Denzel Washington went to talk to him during commercial breaks. Smith later revealed what Washington had told him while accepting his Oscar for Best Actor. “Thanks, Dee. Denzel said a few minutes ago: “At your peak, be careful, then the devil will come for you.said Smith.
Almost a week after what happened, Denzel broke the silence and spoke out about the incident.
Denzel Washington on Will Smith’s slap: ‘Who should we judge?’
This Saturday, Denzel made some public comments about the incident, speaking to Pastor TD Jakes at a leadership summit in Washington, DC, according to Deadline. Although he did not elaborate, he did reveal his general philosophy on Smith’s actions.
“There’s a saying, when the devil ignores you, you know you’re doing something wrong. The devil says, “Oh no, leave him alone, he’s my darling.” Conversely, when the devil attacks you, it may be because he’s trying to do something right. And for some reason the devil got him that nightsaid Denzel.
Washington said they prayed on Oscars night. “Fortunately there were people there, not just me but others too. Tyler Perry came right away. A couple of sentences. I don’t want to say what we talked about [..,] Who should we judge? I don’t know all the details of this situation, but I do know that the only solution was prayer. As I saw it. The way I see it,” the actor added.
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Will Smith resigns as a member of the Academy
Through a statement his publicist told CNN, Will Smith announced Friday that he has resigned from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“I resign my membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and accept any other consequences the Board of Directors may deem appropriate. Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure I will never again allow violence to trump reason,” read part of his statement.