Will Smith and Chris Rock's History Predates the Oscars

Will Smith [1] and Chris Rock [2]'s heated exchange at the 2022 Oscars [3] is still the talk of the town. The annual show took a sharp turn on March 27 when Smith slapped Rock in the face [4] after the comedian made a cruel joke [5] about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith [6], and her buzzcut. The "Red Table Talk" [7] cohost has been candid about her hair loss and alopecia [8], so Smith took offence to his wife's medical condition being a punchline.

The shocking moment moved rather quickly during the Oscars, leaving many viewers with unanswered questions — mainly why Smith chose that moment to confront Rock. For those unaware of their previous encounters, Smith's actions may have seemed extreme. However, several of Smith's peers have defended him [9] — including his "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" [10] costar Janet Hubert. On March 27, Hubert shared a now-deleted Instagram post [11] with a screenshot of Smith giving his acceptance speech captioned, "So PROUD OF YOU!" She added: "Yes, there is only so much one can take...sometimes you have to slap back . . . both actions were incorrect but Chris didn't need to go there."

Smith's mother Carolyn also came to his defence [12], explaining to 6ABC [13] that his actions were out of character for him. "He is a very even, people person," she said. "That's the first time I've ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime . . . I've never seen him do that." Pinkett Smith, who celebrated [14] with the "King Richard" [15] star following the Oscars, seemingly addressed the incident as well, calling for "healing." [16]

What occurred between Rock and Smith was not an isolated incident. In fact, it's possible that their friction began a few years ago when Rock poked fun at Pinkett Smith at the 2016 Oscars [17]. Their altercation is more layered than we realise, so keep reading for a breakdown of Smith and Rock's history, as well as the events that followed the Oscars incident.

Feb. 28, 2016: Chris Rock Makes Fun of Jada Pinkett Smith at the 2016 Oscars

Rock's first awkward interaction with the Smiths took place when he hosted the 2016 Oscars [19]. During his opening monologue, the comedian mentioned Jada Pinkett Smith [20]'s name among the group of celebrities boycotting the award ceremony that year for its lack of diversity in nominations. "Jada says she's not coming. Protesting. I'm like, 'Ain't she on a TV show?,'" said Rock. "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna [21]'s panties. I wasn't invited!"

Pinkett Smith responded to Rock's remarks [22] a week later when photographers spotted her walking through LAX. She told them, "Hey, look it comes with the territory, we gotta keep it moving. We got a lot of stuff we gotta handle, a lot of stuff going on in our world right now. We gotta keep it moving."

Nov. 16, 2018: Chris Rock Comments on Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Marriage

Smith, who's still good friends with his ex-wife Sheree Zampino, wished her a happy birthday in 2018 by sharing a throwback photo of the two with their son on Instagram. Smith captioned the post [23], "Happy Bday, @shereezampino. #BestBabyMamaEver! :-) I Love You, Ree-Ree." Rock left a comment on the post — which later went viral — telling Smith, "Wow. You have a very understanding wife," referencing Pinkett Smith.

Though Smith didn't respond to Rock's comment about his wife, Zampino seemingly acknowledged it and wrote, "Awwwwwwwww…thank you baby daddy!!!!!! I love you back! And thank you @treysmith0011 for being the reason we came together. And to @jadapinkettsmith for being an understanding, secure, and absolutely AMAZING wife, mother, Bonus-mom, and Co-parenting partner!"

March 27, 2022: Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars

While presenting the best documentary category at the 2022 Oscars, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith [24]'s buzzcut, telling her he's looking forward to seeing her in "G.I. Jane 2." The "Red Table Talk" host rolled her eyes at the remark, and Smith promptly approached Rock onstage, slapping him in the face. Upon returning to his seat in the audience, Smith yelled to Rock twice, "Keep my wife's name out of your f*cking mouth."

Rock responded saying that it was just "a 'G.I. Jane' joke" and said he wouldn't mention Pinkett Smith's name again, per Smith's request. The comedian then awkwardly moved on to present the award to Questlove for his film "Summer of Soul." Diddy [25] later came out to present the award and address Rock and Smith's incident saying, "Will and Chris, we're going to solve that like family. Right now we're moving on with love."

March 27, 2022: Will Smith Apologises to the Academy and Nominees at the 2022 Oscars

Smith took home the award for best actor in a leading role at the 2022 Oscars, and offered an apology as part of his acceptance speech. "I want to apologise to the Academy, I want to apologise to all the nominees," he said. Smith added that before returning to the stage, Denzel Washington [26] — who comforted Smith after his incident with Rock — told the "King Richard" star, "At your highest moment, be careful; that's when the devil comes for you." Smith concluded his speech jokingly saying, "[I] hope the Academy invites me back."

March 28, 2022: The Academy Condemns Will Smith’s Actions From the Oscars

Hours after the 2022 Oscars, the Academy tweeted a statement [27] acknowledging the incident between Smith and Rock. "The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world."

The institution later released a new statement announcing that it was investigating the altercation. "The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's show. We have 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." Deadline reported [28] that the result of the investigation could lead to Smith being ejected from the Academy and suspended from future events, including next year's Oscars.

March 28, 2022: Will Smith Issues a Public Apology Following Oscars Altercation

The day after the 2022 Oscars, Smith issued a formal public apology to Rock, the Academy, Oscars producers, and viewers who witnessed his altercation. "Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable," he wrote in an Instagram post. "Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."

He added: "I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. 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." Smith wrapped up his statement by apologising to the Williams family and the "King Richard" cast. "I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress."

Afterwards, NBC News reported [29] that the actor's real-life "King Richard" counterpart, Richard Williams, weighed in on the controversy and condemned Smith's actions. "We don't know all the details of what happened," Williams told the outlet, via his son Chavoita LeSane. "But we don't condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it's in self-defence."

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