Benedict Cumberbatch jokes about Will Smith’s Oscars slap

By IANS

LOS ANGELES: British star Benedict Cumberbatch joked about Will Smith’s Oscars controversy with Chris Rock in his ‘Saturday Night Live’ monologue.

The 45-year-old star was nominated for the Best Actor gong on the Academy Awards for his efficiency in ‘The Power of the Dog’.

Cumberbatch stated throughout his monologue: “I really am thrilled to be back hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’. It’s been a really fun, great week.”

“I have to be honest, though, because most of the sketch writers pitched me sketches every day, and most were about ‘Doctor Strange’ – which is great, I love the guy, I love playing the character … but I have been in other films.”

He joked that Lorne Michaels – the chief producer of ‘Saturday Night Live’ – requested him what different movies he’d appeared in, reviews femalefirst.co.uk.

The actor added: “I said, ‘Well, like ‘The Power of the Dog.’ And he said, ‘Nobody saw it.’ I said, ‘Come on, man, I was nominated for an Oscar for that.’ I mean, I didn’t win. I was beat by Will Smith.”

He then added: “No, not physically! Not physically!”

Smith smacked Rock through the Oscars ceremony, after the slapstick comedian made a joke about his spouse. The Hollywood star subsequently described his behaviour as “shocking, painful, and inexcusable”.