*Chris Rock is finally talking about the Will Smith Oscars slap in a sit-down interview, and four years later, the comedian sounds far more interested in moving forward than reliving Hollywood’s most infamous awards-show moment.
“I wish nothing would have happened,” Rock told Variety while promoting his new movie, “Misty Green.”
But Rock quickly put his experience into perspective rather than turning the interview into another round of Smith commentary.
“Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important,” he said.
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His New Movie Has an Unexpected Slap Connection
The irony is that “Misty Green,” which Rock wrote and directed, contains a storyline with an unmistakable resemblance to what happened to him.
The film follows a once-prominent actress, played by Rosalind Eleazar, trying to revive her career after personal and professional turmoil. Misty has punched a colleague, while Rock’s character must confront whether he can forgive her.
When Variety pointed out the parallel between the movie and Smith striking Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards, Rock appeared genuinely surprised.
“Oh. Yeah. You know, I never even thought about it like that,” he said.
Rock has previously addressed the slap in his comedy, most notably during his 2023 Netflix special “Selective Outrage.” This interview, however, finds him discussing the episode while entering a new phase of his career.
EURweb previously covered Rock’s return to directing with “Misty Green,” his first feature behind the camera since 2014’s “Top Five.”
Rock Has One Condition for Returning to the Oscars
Could Rock walk back into the Oscars after Smith slapped him onstage over a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith?
“The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated,” Rock told Variety. “And I’m not getting nominated.”
Rock has hosted the Academy Awards twice, in 2005 and 2016. These days, he appears more interested in filmmaking than returning as an awards-show host. “Misty Green” is part of that transition. The roughly $5 million production marks Rock’s latest push toward becoming more of a writer-director.
Four years after one shocking moment threatened to define his public narrative, Rock isn’t pretending the slap never happened — he’s just refusing to let it be the biggest story about him.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Will Smith Reportedly Wants Oscars Ban Reconsidered As Chris Rock Rift Lingers
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