Jada Pinkett Thought The Will Smith’s Oscars Slap Was ‘A Skit’

Jada Pinkett Smith, at 52 years old, has shed light on her thoughts during the moment her husband, Will Smith, slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. Speaking about her new book, “Worthy,” set to release on October 17, Jada revealed that initially, she believed the altercation was a skit.

“I thought, ‘This is a skit,'” Jada recounted, reflecting on the moment. “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.”

The incident unfolded when Will, aged 55, struck Rock, aged 58, on stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre following a joke made by Rock about Jada’s alopecia, a condition causing bald spots and hair loss. Will later went on to win the award for Best Actor during the ceremony.

In the aftermath of the incident, Jada approached Will in a private moment, asking, “Are you okay?” showcasing her immediate concern for her husband’s well-being.

Consequences followed the altercation, with Will being banned from attending Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences events, including the Oscars, for 10 years. Will publicly expressed regret for his actions through multiple apologies, including one to Rock, and admitted that he had simply “lost it” during an appearance on The Daily Show in November.