Will Smith is one of the most celebrated actors in Hollywood, who certainly needs no introduction. The actor is known for his impeccable acting skills, making him the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Academy Award. However, his bitter relationship with the Oscar Award ceremony is no secret to anyone.
The infamous Oscar slap created chaos in Smith’s life. Following the incident, the actor was banned from the ceremony, and the controversy made many headlines. One of the close witnesses of the incident, filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, shared his opinion on Smith’s act and described it as ‘disgusting’.
Pedro Almodóvar described Oscar’s infamous incident as disgusting
The infamous Oscar slap needs no introduction. The incident was covered by numerous publications, highlighting Will Smith’s assault on Chris Rock. For the unversed, during the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Rock jokingly remarked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head which offended Smith.
In response to Rock’s comment, Smith stepped onto the stage and struck him. This public assault by Smith created a sensation in the media resulting in Smith’s ban from the event for ten years.
Among the many attendees of the event was renowned filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, who closely witnessed the entire incident. The director wrote about his experience in the awards week diary for Indie Wire, where he described the incident by stating,
“What I saw and heard, produced a feeling of absolute rejection in me.”
Almodóvar continued by condemning Smith’s action and wrote, “You don’t defend or protect the family with your fists.”
Apart from Smith’s controversial act, Almodóvar also expressed his annoyance with the acceptance speech Smith gave after receiving the Best Actor Award.
Pedro Almodóvar criticized Will Smith
Will Smith is a big name in Hollywood who has firmly established himself in the film industry with his talent. His contribution to the film industry hasn’t gone unnoticed, as the actor won the Oscar Award the same night for his performance as Richard Williams in the 2021 film King Richard.
However, the actor has a sour memory of the award ceremony, as Smith has since become infamous for his Oscar slap controversy. According to Pedro Almodóvar’s awards-week diary, Smith mentioned during his acceptance speech that Denzel Washington warned him after the assault took place and said,
“‘At your highest moment, be careful. That’s when the devil comes for you.’”
Almodóvar expressed his issue with Smith’s statement and wrote,
“The devil, in fact, doesn’t exist. This was a fundamentalist speech that we should neither hear nor see.”
Acknowledging the fact that the incident received worldwide attention, the director claimed that the entire incident did not deserve the significance it received and that social media exaggerated the incident to create a buzz.
