Four years on, Chris Rock shrugs off Will Smith’s Oscars slap: “Not that important.”
Chris Rock shrugs off Will Smith’s Oscars slap, steering attention to Misty Green and, more importantly, the comedy.
Asked during a new Variety interview tied to his film Misty Green, Chris Rock didn’t linger on the 2022 Oscars incident. He put it in perspective with a shrug and a reality check.
“It’s a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There’s all sorts of s*** going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important.”
Rock also said there’s only one scenario that would get him back to the Oscars.
“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.”
In 2022, Will Smith walked onstage at the Dolby Theatre and slapped Rock on live TV after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. The Academy later banned Will Smith from its events for 10 years.
Next up: Netflix
Rock’s attention now is on the work. Alongside his return to directing with Misty Green, he’s popping up on Netflix as a guest judge on Kevin Hart’s new comedy competition series Funny AF. The show features Hart and a panel of heavy hitters scouting the next breakout stand-up, with viewers helping choose the winner — who lands a career-making Netflix special.
- Keegan-Michael Key
- Tom Segura
- Kumail Nanjiani
- Chelsea Handler
- Nikki Glaser
Rock joins Hart during the live semifinals as contestants vie for spots in the finale — and that Netflix special at the finish line.