Actor Sean Penn offered a bizarre take on last year’s Oscars scene where Chris Rock slapped Will Smith, claiming that it never would have happened if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was present at the event.
“This fucking bullshit wouldn’t have happened with Zelensky. Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened,” Penn told Variety.
The Milk star insisted to the magazine that had the Academy of Motion Pictures decided to allow Zelensky to speak at the Oscars in 2022, then Smith would have never rushed the stage to attack Rock.
“The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s not light-hearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith!” Penn exclaimed.
The actor went on to say, “I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once. He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so fucking good in King Richard.”
“So why the fuck did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid fucking thing? Why did I go to fucking jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there?” the Mystic River star added.
Penn appeared to be referring to him having had stints in jail as a result of attacking members of the paparazzi.
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“Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” Penn continued in his interview with Variety, referring to the fact that many celebrities in the venue proceeded to applaud Smith for winning “Best Actor” for his appearance in King Richard — after he attacked Rock.
Speaking of the Oscars, Penn — who has a history of cozying up to dictators, including Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez — gave one of his Oscar awards to Zelensky last year.
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