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The authorities did take not any action because
Rock declined to press charges, producer Will Packer said,
echoing what a police spokesperson said on Sunday.
"They were saying, you know, this is battery, was a word they
used in that moment," Packer said in excerpts from an interview
that will air Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"They said, we will go get him. We are prepared. We're prepared
to get him right now," Packer added.
During the live Oscars telecast, Smith strode up to the stage
after Rock made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife,
then smacked the comedian's face.
Less than an hour later, Smith gave a tearful speech on stage as
he accepted the best actor trophy for his role in "King
Richard."
Behind the scenes, police were discussing options with Rock,
Packer said.
Rock "was being very dismissive of those options. He was like,
'No, no, no, I'm fine.' And even to the point where I said,
'Rock, let them finish,'" Packer added.
Representatives for Rock did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Smith apologized to Rock, producers and viewers in a statement
on Monday, saying he had "reacted emotionally".
Rock's joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, made a
reference to the 1997 film "G.I. Jane" in which actress Demi
Moore shaved her head. It was unclear whether Rock was aware
that Jada Pinkett Smith has a condition that causes hair loss.
A police spokesman said Sunday night that the individual
involved in the incident had declined to press charges, but did
not provide details about the interactions at the awards show.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Karishma Singh)
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