Jessica Chastain recalls walking on stage post Will Smith-Chris Rock's Oscars feud

The biggest takeaway from the Academy Awards 2022 was the altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock. While it has been over two months since the incident took place, Jessica Chastain, who won Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye at the Oscars recently recalled the time when she walked on stage to receive the award right after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. 

Jessica Chastain recalls walking on stage after will Smith struck Chris Rock 

During a recent interaction with Net-a-Porter, Jessica Chastain talked about the time when she had to go on stage to receive the award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye at the Oscars and revealed how she was trying to bring a calmness to the atmosphere while calling it a ‘weird night.’

She said, "I walked into a very charged energy in that room, and I was trying to figure out … how to just breathe and create a calmness.” She then talked about the speech she delivered after winning the award and confessed that she had no idea what she was going to say. She also added how she pulled back when she started to feel emotional. "I didn't know everything I was going to say and there [were] moments where I started to get emotional so I pulled it back, [but] I had an idea of what I wanted to use that global platform to create if I got up there,” she stated. 

In her speech, she said, "We're faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country, with the only goal of further dividing us. There are violence and hate crimes being perpetuated on innocent civilians all over the world. And in times like this, I think of Tammy, and I'm inspired by her radical acts of love. I'm inspired by her passion. I see it as a guiding principle that leads us forward, and it connects us all in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, accepted for who we love, and to live a life without the fear of violence or terror.”

More about Smith and Rock's Oscars feud

Will Smith marched towards the stage of the Academy Awards 2022 after Chris Rock poked a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith starring in the next GI Jane film. Will Smith planted a slap at Chris Rock's face and walked back to his seat. He was also heard shouting at Rock to keep his wife's name out of his mouth. Following the feud, Will Smith faced major criticism from the entire Hollywood fraternity and also his fans. 

Image: Instagram/@jessicachastain/AP