The 94th Academy Awards has provided a much-needed bit of weekday excitement after Will Smith stormed the stage to slap the shit out of Chris Rock.
The unscripted moment occurred when the comedian was presenting for the 2022 Best Documentary category. Rock made an otherwise negligible crack about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss – a symptom of her alopecia.
“Jada, I love you. GI Jane, can’t wait to see it,” says Chris Rock.
Jada Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes while Will – who would later cinch his first-ever Best Actor award for playing another intense father figure and husband in King Richard – calmly strolled into centre frame, asking Rock what the five fingers said to the face.
RELATED: The Oscars Hire A “Crisis Team” To Avoid Another Will Smith-Type Situation
“Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”
… Will Smith yelled at the top of his lungs twice; censored by certain networks, including the original US broadcast. Cue awkward silence.
“Wow, dude. It was a GI Jane joke,” replied Chris Rock.
Reports indicate both Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry were later spotted comforting the Smiths moments after the bite-sized donnybrook. Will Smith tearfully revealed during his acceptance speech that Washington told him: “At your highest moment, be careful. That’s when the devil comes for you.”
The gag apparently comes with some history. Rock previously referenced Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss during a monologue when he hosted the ceremony back in 2016, running a similar gag about her being in Ridley Scott’s GI Jane. Which just goes to show… nobody likes recycled material.
Watch Will Smith slap Chris Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards below.
