By Basant El-Faramawy
Chris Rock said he wants to move on from the 2022 Oscars slap, though he acknowledges the moment will follow him for the rest of his life.
Rock addresses incident in GQ interview
In a new interview with GQ, Rock said he does not like talking about the incident in which Will Smith struck him onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards. "Something happened. It wasn't cool. And I would like to move on," Rock told the publication. He added that he has a plethora of projects — jokes, scripts, TV shows, and a book — and wants the focus to remain on his work.
Clarifies stance on future Oscars appearances
Rock also addressed his previous remark that he would not return to the ceremony unless nominated. "It's not like a threat or anything," he explained. "I'm just saying it's okay. Whatever happened happened. Everybody saw it. I don't really like talking about it. By the way — any awards show."
Background of the 2022 Oscars slap
At the 2022 event, Rock was presenting the Best Documentary Feature nominees when he joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, comparing her to Demi Moore in "GI Jane." Smith initially laughed, then walked onstage and slapped Rock. The actor later yelled, "Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth." Smith won Best Actor later that night for "King Richard," but the incident led to a 10-year ban from Academy events and new crisis measures for the 2023 ceremony.
Previous comments on the incident
In a September interview with Variety, Rock said, "Hey, man. You know, to answer your question a little bit, I wish nothing would have happened."
