American actress Mila Kunis says she and husband, Ashton Kutcher, still stand by their decision to not give Will Smith a ‘standing ovation’ at the Oscars.
On March 28, 2022, on the eve of the 94th Academy Awards, the world witnessed an iconic slap by Will Smith. When presenter Chris Rock joked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, initially, everyone laughed, including Smith himself. But a few moments later, the actor stood up from his seat and went on stage, where he smacked Chris and said, “keep my wife’s name outta your ****ing mouth.”
Later, The Pursuit of Happyness actor received the Best Actor Award for King Richard and delivered a heart-touching speech on stage for which many actors stood up from their seats to applaud him.
According to Daily Mail, “Showbiz names ranging from movie stars like Bradley Cooper, Timothee Chalamet, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jason Momoa to acclaimed filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, and Jane Campion all rose to their feet to applaud Will.”
“However, Mila, 39, and her husband Ashton Kutcher, 44, were at the show and declined to stand – and in a new cover story for C Magazine, she lambasted the people who did.”
Recently the Luckiest Girl Alive actress told C Magazine in a cover story that she was absolutely shocked when people stood up and clapped for Smith.
“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,” said Mila.
“Not standing up, to me, was a no-brainer, but what was shocking to me was how many people did stand up,” she explained. “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.”
After the event, Smith, 54, released a statement and apologized to Rock for his extreme reaction to his joke. The actor took to his Instagram and wrote,
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear, and I reacted emotionally.”
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line, and I was wrong. I am embarrassed, and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness,” Will said in his statement.
“I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees, and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.”
What do you think about Mila’s statements? Do you agree with her? Let us know in the comments.
Sources: Daily Mail – C Magazine – Instagram
