Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock on Oscars Stage After Joke About Jada Pinkett Smith
If you’re asking yourself, “Did that just happen? Was it real or a stunt?” you’re not the only one.
Before presenting the Oscar for documentary feature, Chris Rock made a few jokes, including one that seemed to rub Will Smith the wrong way about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and starring in GI Jane. Will Smith then walked up to the stage and appeared to throw a punch at Rock.
The sound then cut out, though it aired uncensored in both Australia and Japan. “Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me,” Rock said after Smith took his seat. “Keep my wife’s name outta your f**king mouth!” Smith yelled. “Wow, dude. It was a GI Jane joke,” Rock said. Smith repeated himself. “That was the greatest night in the history of television,” Rock said after.
When Sean “Diddy” Combs took the stage after, he brought up the incident. “Will and Chris, we’re going to solve that at the Gold party like family,” he said.
Watch clips from Smith and Rock’s exchange and check out tweets from those at the Oscars below.
Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith being in “G.I. Jane” because of her bald head. She’s spoken openly about having a hair loss condition. Will Smith ran on stage, slapped Rock, then screamed twice at the top of his lungs “KEEP MY WIFE’S NAME OUT OF YOUR F-NG MOUTH.”
— Amy Kaufman (@AmyKinLA) March 28, 2022
Holy shit! Was that real?! Chris Rock makes a joke about Jada, Will Smith walked to stage and smacked Chris, and Will yelled twice, “Keep my wife’s name outta your fucking mouth!” People are looking around, mouths agape, trying to figure out if this was real or setup. Seems real! pic.twitter.com/Yr1yjcSHTl
— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) March 28, 2022
UNCENSORED WILL SMITH FOOTAGE AS SHOWN ON AUSTRALIAN TV pic.twitter.com/NcRfdjWxqe
— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 28, 2022
Here’s the moment Chris Rock made a “G.I. Jane 2” joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, prompting Will Smith to punch him and yell, “Leave my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/kHTZXI6kuL
— Variety (@Variety) March 28, 2022
VIA JAPANESE TELEVISION: The uncensored exchange between Will Smith and Chris Rock pic.twitter.com/j0Z184ZyXa
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) March 28, 2022
Wow. What just happened. #TheOscars2022 #TheOscars pic.twitter.com/Xgz84wyn7f
— Beer Me That Bravo (@beerMEthatBravo) March 28, 2022
Following the broadcast of that moment, between commercials, Denzel Washington approached Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. Watch that moment below.
During the commercial break, Will Smith is pulled aside and comforted by Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry, who motion for him to brush it off. Will appears to wipe tears from his eyes as he sits back down with Jada, with Denzel comforting Jada and Will’s rep by his side. pic.twitter.com/uDGVnWrSS2
— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) March 28, 2022
During this break, Denzel pulled Will aside to talk to him and they walk away from their seats together. Denzel now has his arm around Jada and is kneeling next to her even though the show has started. #Oscars
— Rebecca Ford (@Beccamford) March 28, 2022
Smith is nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for playing Richard Williams in King Richard.
