Viewers on Good Morning Britain were left scratching their heads as One Direction singer Liam Payne gave his tuppence on camera after Best Actor winner Will Smith hit host Chris Rock across the face during the show for slagging his wife Jada.
Going into the Elton John Foundation afterparty, Liam stopped to talk to reporters and he sounds very far removed from his Wolverhampton roots.
Just last week, the pop star posted a video in support of UNICEF, and in it, his accent was completely normal, but fast forward seven days and Liam seems to be under a chameleon effect, sounding more like English may not be his native tongue.
With wide-eyed concern, the pop star began: ‘Will Smith actually used to live behind my house. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing his son and daughter very well.
‘I believe that he felt whatever he did, he had the right to do. I also felt there were three losers in one fight.
He didn’t know, being Chris Rock, he didn’t do what he had to do, being Will Smith, and she did nothing, being Jada.’ he said, with a look of genuine concern.
However, as the interview went on, it wasn’t just how he sounded that was raising eyebrows, what he said caused people to stop and take note.
Liam told reporters that he was so shocked by what he had witnessed on stage he actually had to leave his seat because ‘it cut me really deep.’
He then went on to say ‘It’s a very sad thing, but there was a powerful moment for me to sit and watch one of the world’s best emoters ever we’ve seen speak from the heart and I would rather take the beauty out of the situation than take the pain,’
Quietly the best piece of content surrounding the Will Smith incident so far: Liam Payne gushing like an LA wellness influencer about 'one of the world's greatest emoters', in a hybrid accent of totally inexplicable origin + managing to drop in that he sold out Madison Sq Garden. https://t.co/1HwUOOxvpR
— Ciaran Varley (@CiaranVarley) March 28, 2022
Always good to hear from Liam Payne of Wolverhampton, Netherlands https://t.co/5rb24y8cq5
— Ruaridh Hanna (@RuaridhHanna) March 28, 2022
As is the norm, some Twitter users questioned why anyone should really care about the Oscars, with Minnie Stephenson tweeted: “Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on TV and Liam Payne soft-launched a completely new accent. THIS IS HUGE.”
Minnie’s political correspondent colleague Liz Bates also chimed in to say ‘Everyone’s ignoring the bigger scandal. Liam Payne has a whole new accent.’
Everyone’s ignoring the bigger scandal. Liam Payne has a whole new accent. https://t.co/xawuVwhnM6
— Liz Bates (@wizbates) March 28, 2022
After the on-stage slap, Will went on to win Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal as Venus and Serena Williams’ father in ‘King Richard’.
During his acceptance speech, Will tearfully apologized for the outburst- but not to Chris Rock.
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