2022 was the year of wild celebrity moments that honestly feel like a weird dream now. Remember when Kim Kardashian photoshopped her 4-year-old nieces — literal toddlers — for an Instagram post? Or when Brooklyn Beckham, the firstborn of football star David Beckham and pop icon Victoria Beckham, claimed in a TikTok interview that he could afford his million-dollar vehicle thanks to his career as a chef. Cue multiple head scratches. But the event that really took the cake, with all the toppings one can imagine, was when Will Smith found himself at the center of a global controversy after slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars for making a joke about his bald wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Jada Smith has been very vocal about her struggle with alopecia, which is presumably why her husband was not happy with the jest aimed at her. Mere seconds after Rock had delivered the joke, Will Smith left his seat, walked up the stage, and slapped him across the face in full view of the Oscars audience. Needless to say, it is one of the most shocking celebrity moments of all time. The viral incident shocked audiences worldwide and sparked heated debates about Smith’s actions. Let’s take a look at the aftermath of the incident, and where he stands now in terms of public perception.
The Immediate Fallout Was Massive and Public Perception Varied
The Oscar’s slap was more than just a moment of public aggression. It symbolized a dramatic shift in Smith’s public persona, which he had worked so hard to build over the decades. Known for his charming personality in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith had a clean-cut image that was completely shattered when he reacted violently to Rock’s joke. The fallout was instant and intense, with social media platforms, news outlets, tabloids, and public forums ablaze with reactions as everyone shared their two cents about the situation. Fans and fellow celebrities alike were stunned by the out-of-character behavior, expressing disbelief and disappointment following the event.
That ‘70s Show star Mila Kunis told C Magazine that she was surprised people cheered for Will Smith when he won his Oscar, after slapping Chris Rock. “Not standing up, to me, was a no-brainer, but what was shocking to me was how many people did stand up.” According to Deadline, Steve Harvey said that he “lost a lot of respect for him.” Other stars were more understanding and empathetic. Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews told The Hollywood Reporter: “The true definition of toughness was what Chris did in taking a punch and then holding everything together … I’m very thankful to Chris, but also I understand Will. I’m not [one] to demonize Will at all because I was there.” At the same time, some fans also supported Will Smith’s decision to strike Chris Rock after his distasteful joke.
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Will Smith Got Banned From the Academy Amongst Other Setbacks
The fallout from this move didn’t just hit Smith’s public image. He endured several career setbacks after publicly humiliating himself and Chris Rock at one of Hollywood’s most prestigious gatherings. Before the slap, Smith was an A-list actor and a top choice for filmmakers. That changed significantly after the 2022 Oscars. Several streaming and TV networks put their projects involving Smith on hold. Netflix paused the production of the action-thriller Fast and Loose, and Sony delayed the Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Netflix also canceled Bright 2, a sequel to Smith’s hit Bright. National Geographic put the brakes on the production of Pole to Pole, which would follow him traveling to the South and North Poles.
A week after his rash behavior at the event, Smith resigned from the Oscars Academy in April 2022. He issued multiple apologies, publicly and privately, to Chris Rock, the Academy, and everyone present at the award show. The Academy accepted his resignation and proceeded to ban him from the Oscars for 10 years. Soon after, many of Smith’s TV appearances were canceled or postponed. Oscar producer Will Packer mentioned that LAPD officers were on site and ready to arrest Smith for battery if Rock had not intervened.
Was The Slap a Career-Ender for Smith?
It seemed almost impossible for Smith to make a comeback into Hollywood and win back his fans after the infamous slap of 2022. But that didn’t stop him from trying to make amends. His first course of action was to resign from the Academy to show how regretful he was about his actions. Over the next few months, he issued several public and private apologies. His first movie after the incident, Apple Original Film’s Emancipation, was released in December 2022 after a slight delay. Although it was snubbed for an Oscar nomination, the film received multiple nominations at the NAACP and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture.
Soon after the award, Bad Boys 4 was back on track for production, and Pole to Pole followed suit. Bad Boys: Ride or Die was released in the US on June 7, 2024, while no premiere date has been shared for Pole to Pole. The film raked in $56 million at the US box office and another $48 million worldwide, making for a $104 million opening weekend. This means that Smith’s fans are still ride or die.
In an amusing turn of events, toward the end of Bad Boy 4, Smith’s character Mike Lowery freezes as he sees his enemies ahead so Marcus (Martin Lawrence) snaps him out of it with — guess what —- a slap! This serves as a cheeky nod towards the 2022 slap. The Fresh Prince recently ended his extended awards show hiatus by making his first major appearance since the infamous Oscars slap at the BET Awards on June 30, 2024, marking a successful comeback in Hollywood through his persistent efforts and a box office hit! Check out the 10 most controversial moments in Oscars history!
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