Post-slap Will Smith takes photos, dances to 'Gettin' Jiggy' - Los Angeles Times
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Post-slap Will Smith takes photos, dances to ‘Gettin’ Jiggy’ at Oscars after-party

Will Smith, center, attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party with his family.
Will Smith, center, holding his Oscar for lead actor for his role in “King Richard,” poses with, from left, his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, daughter Willow and sons Jaden and Trey at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in Beverly Hills.
(Patrick T. Fallon / AFP/Getty Images)
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“Where were you when it happened?”

That was the question of the evening at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, where most partygoers were more fixated on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock than tossing back champagne.

That is until around half past midnight, when Will Smith and his entire family actually walked into the party. Rock—who Smith hit after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith—had yet to make an appearance. And at such a late hour, it seemed unlikely the Smiths would either. But just as the event was starting to empty out, Smith walked in, triumphantly clutching his lead actor prize and flanked by his wife and three kids, Jaden, Willow and Trey. All eyes immediately went his direction, and for a moment, the gossiping stopped. Smith was accompanied by a bodyguard and what seemed like 10 other entourage members, all surrounding him and his wife at all times. They moved in unison like a swarm of bees: entering the bash, dancing to a few songs, posing for photos, and then heading in an extremely leisurely fashion toward the exit.

Smith did his best to celebrate, even though he was in and out of the Beverly Hills shindig in maybe 30 minutes. On the dance floor, he rapped along to his hits “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” “Miami” and “Summertime” while keeping a firm grip on his golden statue. Zendaya complimented Pinkett Smith’s dress, which was different from the one she’d been wearing during the telecast the night before. At least half a dozen partygoers requested to take a selfie with Smith, and he obliged. Others held their cellphones high in the air, hoping their aim would be good enough to catch a shot.

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Smith did take a few photos with famous people, including Timothee Chalamet, who cheerfully slapped him on the back as they posed together. The “King Richard” star also stopped “This is Us” actor Sterling K. Brown to ask someone to grab a shot of the two of them, surprising the television star: “You want a picture with me?” he asked with a grin, before Smith wrapped his arm around Brown’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Smith’s kids Willow, Jaden, and Trey were otherwise occupied. Willow was on a mission to introduce herself to some of her favorite stars: Jacob Elordi, whom she immediately walked up to because she said she loved “Euphoria,” and then “Queer Eye” star Karamo Brown. Trey was mixed in among the family’s entourage and Jaden was proudly defending his father as he circulated, telling Chalamet: “That’s how you respect a woman.”

The two offspring stayed behind after their parents made their exit. Before getting into a white SUV — which he was driving himself on the chauffeur-heavy night — Smith took off his jacket and lifted his Oscar in the air once more. His team clapped and flashbulbs went off. From a platform above, Jaden pointed at his father and shouted: “I love you! You did it! That’s what real [N-words] do!”

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