Throwback: When Jada Pinkett Smith Said She Initially Thought Will Smith and Chris Rock's Oscars Slap Was a Skit

Jada Pinkett Smith was taken aback by Will Smith's display of anger on stage at the 2022 Oscars. Initially, she believed it was part of a skit.

Published on Aug 17, 2024  |  02:44 PM IST |  99.8K
Jada Pinkett Smith thought Will Smith slapping Chris Rock was a skit
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith (Getty)

It was a huge shock for everyone to see what Will Smith did during the 94th Academy Awards. However, the slap that her husband gave to Chris Rock on stage, first came off as a skit to Jada Pinkett Smith. 

In an interview with PEOPLE back in 2023, the Red Table Talk star revealed what she first felt when the incident took place on the stage of the Academy Awards. The interview which came after at least 18 months from when the I, Robot actor had approached Chirs Rock, was also tied to the promotion of Jada Pinkett Smith’s memoir called Worthy. 

Talking during the interview the Matrix actress stated, "I thought, 'This is a skit.'" She then went on to add that she couldn't believe at first that Will Smith had hit Chris Rock. However, soon when the I Am Legend actor was walking back to his chair Pinkett Smith realized it all was not a part of an act, but was totally real. 

During the interview, Pinkett Smith also recalled the first word she said to Smith after the event, she asked the actor if he was OK. 

Further talking, the Set it Off actress mentioned that she will be standing with her husband, while also allowing him to deal with the whole situation by himself. 

While Will Smith was allowed to keep his Best Actor statuette that he had won during the event, he was banned from the Academy-related events for the next 10 years.

The Men In Black actor addressed the incident that same year, in 2022 in a video and also while talking to Trevor Noah on The Daily Show, in November 2022.

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The actor went on to recall the “horrific night” and stated that he was already going through a situation before he lost control. He however made it clear that he was not justifying his behavior, as the actor also added that everyone should be nice to each other, as the world is tough out there.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith tied the knot in 1997. After the birth of their children, Jaden and Willow, they chose to lead separate lives for seven years starting in 2016.

Will Smith had won the Best Actor accolade at the 94th Academy Awards that took place in the year 2022 for his amazing portrayal in the movie King Richard.

ALSO READ: Will Smith Comments On Jada Pinkett Smith Ahead Of His Movie Release, Says She's The 'Most Gangsta'

FAQs

For which movie did Will Smith win the Best Actor accolade at the 94th Academy Awards?
Will Smith won the Best Actor accolade at the 94th Academy Awards for King Richard.

When did Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith get married?
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith got married on December 31 , 1997.

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