Richard Williams responds to Will Smith X Chris Rock Oscars 2022 controversy 

Will Smith will definitely go down in history as one of the few Black actors who bagged the Academy Award in the best actor category. However, something else also happened that would make Smith's appearance a remembered incident at the 2022 Oscars.

Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face when the comedian made a joke at the expense of Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The internet has been taken by storm by the incident and Twitter is flooded with debates surrounding the controversy. Though most have condemned Will Smith's violent reaction on national television, some have empathized and condoned his actions and praised him for standing up for his wife.

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How did Richard Williams react to the incident?

A number of celebrity faces have tweeted their reactions, including Richard Williams, 80, the father of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams. Williams' son and spokesperson Chavoita LeSane told NBC News on Richard's behalf that Richard Williams does not in any way condone Will Smith's reaction. LeSane reportedly said on behalf of his father,

"We don't know all the details of what happened. But we don't condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it's in self-defense."

According to LeSane, Richard was shocked to see Smith hit Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head at the Oscars.

Later that night, Smith took away the Oscar for best actor for his role in the film King Richard, where he portrayed Richard Williams' character. While collecting his award, the 53-year-old actor delivered an emotionally-charged speech where he invoked Richard Williams, the character he portrayed, and likened himself to Williams whom he describes as the "fierce defender" of his family.

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What is the Will Smith X Chris Rock controversy?

Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith's wife, made public her medical condition last year and shared her battle with alopecia, which had caused her to suffer from hair loss and forced her to shave her head. Since then, the actress has been embracing a new look where she is seen wearing a really short haircut.

Chris Rock, while handing out the award for best documentary feature, made this into fodder for a joke and passed a lighthearted yet insensitive comment directed towards the suffering actress. He said,

"Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see you."

The joke was made in reference to the first G.I. Jane movie, which was released in 1997 and starred Demi Moore in the lead role, sporting a bald hair-do. Due to a similar haircut, he called Jada "G.I. Jane 2."

The comment was received with annoyance and an eye roll from the actress herself, while Smith violently reacted to the joke and went up on stage to slap Chris Rock.

Various celebrities have risen in support of Will Smith but most have condemned his violent reaction to Chris Rock. The Academy made its views very clear in a tweet where it categorically stated that it does not condone violence in any form.