The scene shocked the whole world. During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Will Smith took to the stage and brutally slapped Chris Rock - the host of the night - who had joked about the alopecia of Jada Pinkett Smith, the actor's wife. As a result of this outburst of anger, Will Smith was banned from the Oscars for the next ten years. He also resigned from the academy.
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who had remained very discreet until then, confided her feelings about this incident in the columns of People magazine on October 11, on the occasion of the release of her autobiography Worthy. "I thought it was a skit. I immediately thought it was impossible for Will to actually hit him. And it wasn't until I saw him return to his chair next to me that I understood it wasn't a hoax," she said. During the interview, the actress also made a surprising revelation. At the time of the slap, the couple had already been separated for six years.
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Will Smith and Chris Rock must find a way to reconcile
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith recalled that after the ceremony, the words "Are you okay?" were the first words she addressed to Will Smith. She also clarified that she supported the actor during this turbulent time, without minimizing the seriousness of his gesture. The actress briefly mentioned this famous slap in the face in 2022 on her show Red Table Talk, three months after the Oscars ceremony. "Will Smith and Chris Rock need to find a way to heal and reconcile, because the world needs both of them," she explained at the time.
In her autobiography Worthy, which will be published on October 17, Jada Pinkett Smith looks back on her childhood spent in the working-class neighborhoods of Baltimore, her struggle with suicidal thoughts and depression, motherhood and alopecia. She also talks about meeting Will Smith and their three-decade relationship.