The 2022 Oscars was synonymous not just the awards and honors, but for the infamous ‘Slapgate’ scandal involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. Smith lost control after Rock made controversial comments about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s physical appearance, following her public diagnosis of a skin condition, alopecia.
While the incident went viral on social media with fans and the Hollywood fraternity taking sides on the issue, the person caught in the middle of it all was Jada Pinkett Smith. Recalling the aftermath of what transpired, Pinkett Smith spoke of Chris Rock’s apology right after the Academy Awards and why it did not make an impact on her.
Jada Pinkett Smith On Being Caught In The Middle The Slapgate Controversy
While Will Smith’s slap to Chris Rock will go down as one of Oscar night’s notoriously memorable moments, it was his wife Jada Pinkett Smith who struggled to cope with the aftermath. The Madagascar star was openly insulted by Rock regarding her shaved head which was due to a skin condition that she had suffered from, prompting Will Smith to defend her.
Speaking of the repercussions of the incident, Pinkett Smith revealed that Rock approached her right after the Oscars was over, to apologize for taking her name for his comedic pursuits. Unfortunately, being caught in the middle of a feud between her husband and a colleague became complicated for the star to process.
Speaking to People in an exclusive interview, Pinkett Smith spoke of her emotions during this time and said,
“Chris looks to me and he says, ‘Jada, I meant no harm.’ I’m just out of it because I’m really worried about Will. And Will’s still talking. Now he’s mad because Chris is talking to me. And I go, ‘Chris, this is about some old s—.’ That’s all I could think of saying, right? And I couldn’t really take in his apology.”
The Nutty Professor star went on to state that, while Rock’s apology may have been genuine, she was not in a position to react to his intention at the time. Despite being the reason for what transpired on the Oscar stage, she believed that it was up to Will Smith and Chris Rock to iron out their differences without bringing her into the picture.
Jada Pinkett Smith Thought That Will Smith’s Slap Was A Skit
The whole world was tuned into their television sets during the 2022 Oscar night when Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock on stage. While many people actually thought that this was a choreographed act for the awards ceremony, it turned out that it was as unplanned and real as it could get. Jada Pinkett Smith, who was the reason for the I am Legend actor’s outburst, was as shocked as everyone else who witnessed the incident.
Speaking to People, the celebrity spoke of how she too, like everyone else, believed that this was a staged performance between Smith and Rock, and how she shockingly came to the conclusion that her husband had actually slapped the comedian in front of everyone.
“So when Chris moved, it looked like he ducked or he missed the shot. And when he continued to stand, and then when he continued to walk down to the end of the stage, I was like, ‘There’s no way. There’s no way that Will hit him’. It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit,”
Pinkett Smith confessed that she was completely caught off-guard by what had occurred, but was forced to come to terms with it quickly owing to the incident being discussed endlessly on social media.
