The 2022 Oscar started smooth, and with Chris Rock's presence, the room was undeniably filled with laughter. But then, this didn’t last long as the comedian and Will Smith had an altercation over a G.I. Jane Joke. Notably, Rock had appeared on stage to present the Oscar for documentary feature and made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
He joked that the actress was in “G.I. Jane 2, " seemingly referencing her shaved hair.
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Jada has been suffering from alopecia, a condition that leads to hairless.
Many laughed loudly about the joke, and even Smith himself did. But in a twist, the actor took to the stage and slapped Rock. While most Oscars audience appeared stunned at the altercation and thought it was a joke, Smith yelled as he returned to his seat, saying: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!”
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Instantly, the whole room went silent, leaving confusion about what had happened and what had been said.
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The unscripted broadcast showed that Rock remained in a light mood after being stuck and acknowledged that Smith had smacked him, using an exclamation to describe how hard he had been hit. The comedian said: “Wow, dude, it was a G.l. Jane Joke.” But angrily, Smith repeated his demand of keeping his wife’s name out of his mouth.
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Looking stunned, Rock uttered: “That was the greatest night in the history of television,” then moved on to award the Oscar for the documentary feature to Summer of Soul.
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Soon after, Smith won the Oscar for best actor and gave an emotional speech. He tearfully explained his action and insisted: “Love makes you do crazy things. I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people.” He added: “I want to apologize to the academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees.”
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“This is a beautiful moment. Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father. Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment I am overwhelmed by what God is calling me to do.”
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Actor-producer Tyler Perry and Actor Denzel Washington approached Smith and tried to calm him down. In his speech, Smith later quoted Washington’s words: “At your highest moment, be careful because that’s when the devil comes for you.”
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Smith concluded: “Thank you. I hope the Academy invites me back.”
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Bradly Cooper also approached Smith and tried to calm him as well. Currently, it’s unknown if the actor will receive any form of repercussions for his brash act.
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Similarly, Queen Latifa hugged Jada, congratulating the family on Smith’s win.
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Just as Smith got his trophy and returned to his seat, the couple appeared calmer.
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Viewers questioned if the moment was scripted, but executive editor from Vanity Fair, Ramin Setoodeh, confirmed it was real as she watched the rehearsals the day before. He tweeted it live and wrote: “It was not supposed to happen. It was real.” In 2018, when Smith wished a happy birthday to his ex-wife Sheree Zampino, the mother of their son Trey, Rock had commented: “Wow. You have a very understanding wife.” To which she replied with, “Don’t hate.”
