How Halle Berry & Jessica Chastain Replaced Will Smith for Oscars Role
Halle Berry and Jessica Chastain are subbing in for Will Smith at the 2023 Oscars.
The 2002 and 2022 Best Actress winners, respectively, fulfilled one important duty that Smith likely would’ve been responsible for at this year’s show—had he not received a 10-year ban from Academy events for slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 ceremony.
It’s an Oscars tradition that the reigning Best Actor winner usually presents the Best Actress trophy at the next year’s show. But since Smith—who took home the trophy in 2022 for King Richard—was forbidden to attend, the award show producers tapped Berry and Chastain to hand out the prize.
The duo stepped onto the stage to read the envelope and announce the Best Actress winner at the glitzy event at the Dolby Theatre on March 12. The nominees were Cate Blanchett (Tár), Ana de Armas (Blonde), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once), who took home the trophy. See all the 2023 Oscars winners here.
