The director of the first and two Bad Boys defended the actor in Entertainment Weekly. And relativizes the violence of his act towards Chris Rock.
Will Smith has a strong ally. If almost all of Hollywood has decided to turn its back on him following the slap in the face to Chris Rock, the actor, just rewarded for his role in The Williams Method, is supported by Michael Bay. Director of the first two films of the Bad Boys franchise, where Will Smith plays the main role, the filmmaker says he is ready “100%” to work together again.
« He’s a very stable person, » says Michael Bay in an interview for Entertainment Weekly. In full promotion for his film Ambulance, the American director could not escape questions about the incident at the Oscars. Surprised by the slap, he did not condemn the gesture. « Obviously it’s not right to do that, no matter what the circumstances. But when people say he could have killed him [Chris Rock, one of the hosts of the ceremony, Editor’s note] no, a slap is different. A punch ? Yes, we can kill someone. Will give him a slap.
“There are babies blowing themselves up by the hundreds right now and people are concerned about that. […] Okay, something dramatic happened, but I think we have to review our priorities ”
Michael Bay in an interview with Entertainment Weekly
But Will Smith is far from returning to the role of Mike Lowrey. Sony, producer of Bad Boys 4, which is scheduled for release in 2023, has decided to suspend filming of the film. The 53-year-old actor had also read about forty pages of the script shortly before the Dolby Theater ceremony.
On April 8, the Academy of Oscars decides to sanction Will Smith for his actions. Still holding his statuette, he is nevertheless banned from any Oscar ceremony, for ten years. « I accept and I respect the decision of the Academy, » responded the actor in a brief written statement, who had also resigned from the institution a few days earlier.