"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap
Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock.
Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony.
The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight.
Speaking to Variety, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem.
“The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.”
Variety noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview.
“I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in King Richard.”
“So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face.
“This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.”
Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars.
"I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said.
When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars.
At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!”
Image credits: Getty Images