According to Variety and E! News, Carrey, 60, told CBS News this week that he was “sickened” when Smith, who won the best actor Oscar for his role in “King Richard,” received a standing ovation during his acceptance speech less than an hour after the incident.
“Hollywood is just spineless en masse, and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren’t the cool club anymore,” the “Sonic the Hedgehog 2″ star told “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King.
Carrey went on to say Smith “should have been” forced to leave or possibly even arrested for his actions, the news outlets reported.
“I’d have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video is going to be there forever,” said Carrey, who added that he has “nothing against” Smith and wishes him the best. “It’s going to be ubiquitous. That insult is gonna last a very long time.”
Rock, a presenter at the Academy Awards, was thrust into the limelight Sunday night after Smith, enraged by Rock’s “G.I. Jane” joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith, walked onstage and struck the comedian during the ceremony. Pinkett Smith has a shaved head and suffers from alopecia, a hair-loss condition, according to The Associated Press.
After returning to his seat in the audience, Smith appeared to shout, “Keep my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth,” Variety reported.
Smith returned to the stage later to accept the best actor Oscar. He apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during his acceptance speech, adding that he is fiercely protective of his family, the AP reported.
“Art imitates life,” he said at the time. “I look like the crazy father. But love will make you do crazy things.”
In a statement early Monday, the academy said it “does not condone violence of any form.” The organization later said it has “officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law,” The Associated Press and Deadline reported.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department said investigators are aware of the incident, according to The Guardian and NBC News.
“The incident involved one individual slapping another,” the department said in a statement. “The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”
Smith also took to Instagram on Monday to apologize to Rock, who hasn’t commented publicly about the incident.
“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” the post read. “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
While several celebrities, such as Kathy Griffin, Judd Apatow and Mark Hamill, have denounced Smith’s actions, others appeared to come to his defense, according to the AP.
“Sometimes when you’re speaking about somebody’s wife, you can’t really help that, so that’s what I would say,” Mj Rodriguez told the news agency at Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party.
Singer Nicki Minaj also took to Twitter to say people should consider Pinkett Smith’s feelings.
“Imagine what it must feel like to be losing your hair to the point where you have to shave it bald,” Minaj wrote. “You think that’s easy to deal with for anyone? You don’t think she’s cried about that many times?”
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Presenter Chris Rock, left, reacts after being hit on stage by Will Smith while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Chris Rock and Will Smith are seen onstage during the 94th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Will Smith and Chris Rock are seen onstage during the 94th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry comfort Will Smith during the show at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Myung Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Bradley Cooper comforts Will Smith during the show at the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Myung Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Lupita Nyong'o, Denzel Washington (top), Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith attend the 94th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Will Smith accepts the Actor in a Leading Role award for "King Richard" onstage during the 94th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation stuns Oscars crowd Will Smith accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "King Richard" at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly appear at the premiere of "Dumb and Dumber" in 1994. (Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Photos; Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey in a scene from the 1994 film, "The Mask." ( Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey shows off his Ace Ventura character in 1995. (Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey played the Riddler in "Batman Forever" in1995. (Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey appeared with Leslie Mann in "The Cable Guy." ( Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy arrive for the world premiere of Disney's "A Christmas Carol" in 2009. ( Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Disney)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey appeared at a reading and book signing for "How Roland Rolls" at Barnes and Noble in 2013. ( Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey attends the premiere of "I'm Dying Up Here" in 2017. (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years 2018: Recipient of Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy US/Canadian actor Jim Carrey arrives for the 2018 British Academy Britannia (BAFTA) Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills on October 26, 2018. (Tommaso Boddi/FilmMagic)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years Jim Carrey played Joe Biden/The Fly during the "VP Fly Debate" on "Saturday Night Live" in 2020. (Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Photos: Jim Carrey through the years 2026: Jim Carrey poses with the Honorary Cesar Award backstage during the 51st Cesar Film Awards at L'Olympia on February 26, 2026, in Paris, France. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images) (Francois Durand/Getty Images)