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P Diddy claims Will Smith and Chris Rock made amends after Oscars: ‘That’s over’

Actor shocked the audience at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles when he struck Rock during the live ceremony

Roisin O'Connor
Monday 28 March 2022 14:59 BST
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Moment Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars

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Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has claimed that Will Smith and Chris Rock have already made amends after the drama at this year’s Oscars.

At the ceremony on Sunday night (28 March), Best Actor-winner Smith shocked the Hollywood audience and viewers around the world when he struck Rock live onstage during the ceremony.

The altercation took place after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife and fellow actor, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Smith’s actions sparked widespread debate on social media, with actors and other public figures torn over whether he was justified in his response.

Combs, who attended the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty with his daughter, Chance, has since told PageSix that the saga is “over”. He had earlier presented a special tribute to The Godfather, for its 50th anniversary.

“That’s not a problem. That’s over. I can confirm that,” the 52-year-old told the publication. “It’s all love,” he added. “They’re brothers.”

The artist and business mogul apparently didn’t elaborate as to how Smith and Rock patched things up.

He addressed the incident onstage before presenting the Godfather tribute, commenting: “I did not know that this year was going to be the most exciting Oscars ever. OK, Will and Chris, we're going to solve that like family at the gold party, okay?

“But right now we're moving on with love,” he added.

Just moments after the altercation, Smith was announced as the winner of the Best Actor Oscar, for his performance in King Richard, about the father of tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams.

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“I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all of my fellow nominees,” the tearful actor said during a lengthy acceptance speech. He did not single out Rock in his apologies.

Smith was also seen at the Vanity Fair party with his family, where he danced to his own music including hits “Miami” and “Summertime”.

Find the full list of 2022 Oscar winners here. See the latest updates and reactions from the dramatic ceremony here, and read about the biggest talking points here.

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