Chris Rock moved past the 2022 Academy Awards, where he landed a punchline and, instead of a standing ovation, was greeted by an open-handed slap in front of millions of viewers.
Social media users replayed the jaw-dropping moment that Will Smith stormed onstage in fiery defense of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and struck the comedian in the face.
Rock made a joke referring to Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, comparing her to “G.I. Jane.”
At first, Smith laughed at the jeering, but his smile faded, and he erupted with shouts from his front-row seat: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—king mouth!”
Later in the ceremony, the multi-hyphenate entertainer accepted the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams’ father, Richard Williams, in the 2021 film “King Richard.”
His actions, though, overshadowed the pinnacle moment of his decades-long career.
Smith received a 10-year ban from Oscar ceremonies and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences amid the blowback.
He issued public apologies to fans, industry peers, and Rock and his family.
To date, the two men have not mended the rift, and Rock has not returned to the awards ceremony.
In a new “Variety” interview, the comedic icon reflected on the ordeal.
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“I wish nothing would have happened,” he said when questions pivoted from his forthcoming film, “Misty Green,” to Smith. He directs and appears on screen in the movie starring Rosalind Eleazar.
“It’s a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There’s all sorts of sh-t going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important,” Rock continued.
When asked if he would accept a third invitation to host — he emceed in 2005 and 2016 and presented the Best Documentary Feature in 2022 — Rock explained, “I’m not going to say never, but my time might have passed, honestly.”
Moreover, his attendance requires an extraordinary incentive.
“I’m not getting nominated. The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated, and I’m not getting nominated. And that’s OK. We’ll deal with that if it happens. Like, let’s manage expectations,” he said.
However, the two men’s fans are divided on how to feel about Rock’s stance.
“If I get slapped and everyone runs to console the person who slapped me including Denzel Washington, I wouldn’t want to talk about it again either,” an X user tweeted.
A Smith critic called the slap the “Biggest career-ending blunder of all time.” Many picked up on Rock holding back from mentioning Smith or his wife.
“He knew to keep that man’s wife’s name out [of] his mouth this time,” said one observer.
Another noted, “I hate that Twitter sides with Will like that s—t was uncalled and stupid. Chris was hired to tell jokes and he told one. Simple.”
Although commenters suggested the ordeal was a gift in disguise. “Chris Rock hasn’t been the same since that slap,” said one person.
“The slap made your specials must-see. Would you trade the attention for a quiet career year?” another critic asked.
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Rock addressed the affront in his 2023 Netflix special “Selective Outrage.”
His jabs at Hollywood’s former golden couple included stating, “Everybody who really knows, knows I had nothing to do with that s—t. I didn’t have any entanglements. … She hurt him way more than he hurt me. … Everybody called him a b—h, and who he hit? Me.”
Rock and Pinkett Smith have reportedly had strained interactions for years, stemming back to when he asked her out on a date in 2016, she claimed in an interview with People magazine.
The Smiths were quietly separated; however, their split was not revealed until 2023.
The couple is believed to be in the process of mending their 28-year marriage. The “Ali” actors are reportedly back under the same roof, with joint appearances in London to support their son, Jaden Smith.
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