Will Smith’s violent Oscars outburst ‘re-booted his alpha status’

Will Smith’s violent outburst at the Oscars reaffirmed his ‘alpha status’ before the actor became ‘defiant and showboating’ later in the evening, a body language expert has claimed. 

The Hollywood A-lister stormed the stage at last night’s ceremony to slap comedian Chris Rock for joking about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair despite her suffering from alopecia.

But according to body language expert Judi James, tensions had been rising throughout the evening, with Will faking laughs at the comedian’s ‘very sexist gags’ ahead of the incident.  

Later winning the award for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard, James claims he soon returned to the red carpet looking ‘confident and victorious’ despite his outburst earlier in the evening. 

She told FEMAIL: ‘Will walked back to his seat with what looked like a smug smile as though he had re-booted his alpha status after more than one slight during the evening.’ 

‘Later though, a much more defiant and showboating version of Will seemed to appear’. 

RISING TENSIONS  

According to Judi, the incident that prompted the violent response from Will wasn’t the first one to produce contrasting body language signals from Will and Jada that evening. 

Earlier in the ceremony Regina Hall picked out male members of the audience, teasing she would take them backstage for a Covid test involving taking their clothes off and ‘swabbing the back of their mouths with my tongue’. 

‘While the poor guys on stage stood looking awkward and embarrassed the presenter picked on Will who, although she said was married ‘it looks like Jada approves, so get up here’, said Judi. 

‘While Will shook his head laughing, Jada shook her head with a stonier expression and pointed one index finger at the stage in a signal of disapproval.’  

WILL’S FAKE LAUGHTER  

While Will had remained a good-sport at the beginning of the ceremony despite ‘sexist’ gags ‘polarizing’ the audience, Judi claimed that his laughter was likely not genuine

While Will had remained a good-sport at the beginning of the ceremony despite ‘sexist’ gags ‘polarizing’ the audience, Judi claimed that his laughter was likely not genuine. 

‘The very sexist gags from the stage had created a slightly polarized response from the audience, she said. ‘But Will’s body language had seemed to define a good-humoured guy who was happy to share the joke while waiting to see if he had won his own category. 

‘Will’s response to other gags did at times look incongruent in terms of genuine inner pleasure, though. His open-mouthed laughter and exaggerated clapping suggested performed amusement rather than the real thing but it did make him look like the good sport alongside Jada’s more measured responses.’ 

Meanwhile, body language expert Darren Stanton, speaking on behalf of Slingo, agreed that while he laughed when Rock made the gag about his wife, his body was ‘tense’. 

‘As Chris Rock made the joke, what was really interesting to see was that initially Will laughed and he sat back in his chair’, he said. ‘However, it was the kind of laughter you give when you don’t find something genuinely funny and he appeared tense. 

‘It’s claimed Jada mentioned something to him which sparked him to get up and do what he did. After seeing Jada’s face, Will then reacted suggesting he was spurred on by his wife’s emotional response. ‘ 

JADA’S DESPAIR AND DISAPPROVAL 

While Will initially laughed at the gag, Jada’s response was entirely different – taking a few moments to digest the joke before giving a stony look of ‘despair, anger and dismissal’, says Judi 

While Will initially laughed at the gag, Jada’s response was entirely different – taking a few moments to digest the joke before giving a stony look of ‘despair, anger and dismissal’. 

‘Her eye-roll showed despair, anger and dismissal, followed by a stiffening of her spine and features and a clasping of her hands to signal pain and displeasure. Her look to Chris seemed to signal cold disapproval’, said Judi. 

‘Will did continue with the laughter when Chris Rock let rip with his fateful line about GI Jane 2. It was a less exaggerated laugh than his earlier rituals, suggesting he might have sensed a potential problem but he still looked keen to be polite while the camera picked him out.’ 

Darren added that there was a ‘visible emotional shift’ between Will and Jada following the joke, adding that the jibe ‘clearly made Jada uncomfortable and signs of awkwardness and disdain, due to her embarrassment, were visible across her face. 

‘Jada reacted by rolling her eyes. This is a low level gesture that someone can make to demonstrate their unhappiness and it can visualise their disgust or internal aggression. ‘ 

CHRIS UNDERESTIMATING WILLS ANGER

Judi claimed that as an experienced stand-up, Rock would be good at reading his audience and their responses and suggested his splayed-arm shrug of apology to Jada meant he knew he had upset her

Judi claimed that as an experienced stand-up, Rock would be good at reading his audience and their responses and suggested his splayed-arm shrug of apology to Jada meant he knew he had upset her. 

She explained: ‘His body language up to that moment had shown him at his edgy, cocky best, but when he saw Jada’s expression change he did look more wary and possibly tried to apologise by placing one hand out horizontally in mid-air in a gesture of possible suppression or in a calming ritual as he told the couple ‘That was a nice one, ok?’. 

Both Judi and Darren agreed that the comedian ‘badly underestimated’ what was happening when Smith walked onto the stage, expecting ‘at worst a bit of double-act banter.’ 

Judi explained: ‘Chris was laughing as Will approached him and the way he stood with his hands clasped behind his back suggested strongly that he had no expectation of any physical attack. 

‘He looked prepared for a telling off, as though he was adopting the pose of a naughty school boy. When the slap came he fell to one side but when he regained his posture he did not seem to touch or nurse the place where he had been hit. He tried to get back to his script but he looked shocked and he seemed to be struggling. His ‘Oh, wow!’ registered genuine shock. ‘ 

Darren agreed: ‘I think going into the joke Chris seemed a little bit uneasy, but it was clear Chris never thought he was about to be hit. 

‘His body language didn’t turn defensive after the joke, his arms remained by his side instead of in front of him, and following the incident, while notably shocked he remained as professional as he could, not responding or saying anything else inappropriate.’ 

ASSERTING POWER AND DOMINANCE  

Darren says that upon his return the actor showed indications of legitimate anger while asserting his ‘power and dominance’ following the violent outburst

After the joke, Judi suspects there was a point in which Will noticed the despair the gag had caused his wife and ‘adjusted his own accordingly’. 

‘The cameras only picked up his march onto the stage’, she said. ‘There had been another staged interruption earlier, when a DJ walked on as the three women were presenting. As a joke it had gone rather flat but it did suggest this would be something of the same.’ 

Following his violent outburst, will returned to his seat where he launched into a foul-mouthed rant at the comedian, telling him to ‘keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth’.

Darren says that upon his return the actor showed indications of legitimate anger while asserting his ‘power and dominance’ following the violent outburst. 

‘As Will sat back down after approaching Chris, the first thing he did was thrust his chin outwards – a gesture used to assert power and dominance. We can also see flared nostrils, prolonged eye contact, which are signs of genuine anger.

‘This level of emotion cannot be faked, suggesting that Will’s reaction and the degree of anger he was displaying was 100 percent real.’  

CHRIS’ SHOCK AND HUMILIATION AFTER JOKE  

Following Will’s outburst, the comedian awkwardly tried to shrug off the incident, with Darren claiming that he was trying to ‘breeze over the moment’ to ease his own ’embarrassment and humiliation’

Following Will’s outburst, the comedian awkwardly tried to shrug off the incident, with Darren claiming that he was trying to ‘breeze over the moment’ to ease his own ’embarrassment and humiliation’. 

He explained: ‘Chris made a joke commenting that it was the ‘greatest night on television’ – doing so acknowledged Chris’ embarrassment and humiliation, but he pushed past his own emotions to breeze over the moment as best he could. 

‘For the segment that followed, Chris appeared on edge and his shock was visibly noticeable by him stumbling over his words. 

‘Despite carrying on like a true showman, it was undeniably one of those moments everyone experiences in life when you wish the ground would open up and swallow you.’  

WILL’S SHOWBOATING AFTER THE INCIDENT  

According to Judi, following his win for Best Actor, Smith attempted to ‘turn the tide’ with his speech – later looking ‘confident and victorious’ as he greeted well-wishers on the red carpet

According to Judi, following his win for Best Actor, Smith attempted to ‘turn the tide’ with his speech – later looking ‘confident and victorious’ as he greeted well-wishers on the red carpet. 

‘His speech sounded re-written to turn the PR tide in his favour’, said Judi. ‘With tears streaming down his cheeks and snot streaming from his nose he channeled Richard Williams and even God to place himself on the side of right. 

‘His head dipped to suggest apology but he also laughed ruefully as he spoke about taking ‘abuse’ as celebrities. 

His walk along the red carpet looked confident and victorious and, surrounded by what looked like high-fiving well-wishers, he is seen waving his Oscar aloft and dancing in what looks like a return to his fun side.’