Jada Pinkett Smith Shares Her Initial Reaction to Will Smith's Oscars Slap: 'I Thought It Is a Skit'
In a shocking revelation, Jada Pinkett Smith opened up about her immediate thoughts when her husband, Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, revealing that she at first believed the incident was a pre-planned skit. The shocking incident occurred during the 94th Academy Awards, where Smith struck Rock after the latter made a joke about Jada’s shaved head, a result of her alopecia. In an interview she shared her initial perception of the incident, saying, "I thought, 'This is a skit.' I was like, '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," per People.
Jada went on to reveal the first words she said to her husband after the event, expressing concern, "Are you okay?" Despite the shocking incident, she conveyed her commitment to supporting her husband, asserting, "I'm going to be by his side but also allow him to have to figure this out for himself." The rollercoaster of emotions forced Smith to slap Rock.
As per Entertainment Weekly, The incident received widespread attention, leading to public apologies from Will Smith and his eventual resignation from the Academy, along with a 10-year ban from AMPAS events. A day later, Smith issued an Instagram apology to Rock. "Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable, Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."
In an interview as per Insider, Jada’s insights provided a glimpse into the complexity of the situation and the never-imagined turn of events. "That was a horrific night, as you can imagine. There are many nuances and complexities to it. But, at the end of the day, I lost it, and I guess what I would say, you just never know what somebody's going through, you know?"
Despite the public apologies issued by Smith, the incident has continued to be a topic of discussion, with Rock incorporating jokes about the slap into his standup comedy sets. The revelation comes amid another major development in Smith’s relationship trajectory. Jada recently disclosed in an interview that the couple separated in 2016, nearly seven years before the Oscars incident. She cited exhaustion and unmet expectations as contributing factors to the relationship's breakdown.
The candid interview shed light not only on the Oscars incident but also on the challenges the couple faced leading up to the separation. As the public continues to grapple with the complexities of the Smiths' relationship, Jada's revelations provide a deeper understanding of the emotions and dynamics surrounding the widely discussed Oscars slap.
