"We don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense"- Serena Williams' father Richard Williams on Will Smith's violent behavior at the Oscars
In a recent statement, Venus and Serena Williams' father, Richard Williams, condemned the violent actions of Will Smith during the Oscars, where the renowned Hollywood actor slapped comedian and host Chris Rock.
Richard Williams condemned the act through his spokesperson and son Chavoita LeSane, highlighting that although he and his family are not familiar with the entire details of the incident, they "don't condone anyone hitting anyone else until it's in self-defense." LeSane became Williams' spokesperson after the 80-year-old suffered a stroke.
“We don’t know all the details of what happened. But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self-defense," said Richard Williams via his son, Chavoita LeSane.
Will Smith received his first Oscar on Sunday for portraying the role of Richard Williams in the movie 'King Richard.' However, what became even more prominent than his award was the incident where he walked up to Chris Rock and slapped him after Chris Rock joked about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
All the guests at the event, including Venus and Serena Williams, were left speechless after the incident. While some condemned Smith for losing his cool and becoming violent, others hailed him for taking a stand for his wife.
Smith recently issued a public apology to Rock for his inappropriate behavior. He even spoke a little bit about the incident in his Oscar-winning speech, stating that sometimes just like Richard Williams, he also becomes a "crazy father" as love makes one do some crazy things.
“I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things," mentioned Smith.
Venus and Serena Williams rocked the 2022 Oscars as hosts
Venus and Serena were two of the hosts at the Vanity Fair Oscars 2022, who looked absolutely stunning in their new avatars. While Venus dazzled in a custom plunging gown with silver trim, Serena looked marvelous in an accordion-style pink gown with black florals.
King Richard, nominated for a total of five awards at the event, stole the limelight after Will Smith, the film's lead actor and producer, was honored with an Oscar for the role of best actor.
As far as tennis is concerned, while Venus Williams has not played professional tennis since August 2021, the younger Williams has been out of action since she suffered a leg injury in Wimbledon. Their return dates to the tour are also uncertain right now.
Also Read: "Venus and Serena Williams don't deserve to have their dad dragged into whatever this was" - Tennis fans unhappy with Will Smith's controversial Oscar speech