When did Will Smith slap Chris Rock? Infamous incident detailed as Wanda Sykes reveals actor called later to apologize

Wanda Sykes finally opened up about her take on the Oscars showdown between Will Smith and Chris Rock, saying Smith actually came over afterward and offered an apology. Her remarks surface in a Variety article published Monday, October 27, in which the comedian looks back on the 2022 Academy Awards she co‑hosted with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. 

March 27, 2022, the 94th Academy Awards erupted in a flash of drama: after Chris Rock tossed a joke comparing Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head to "G.I. Jane " Will Smith, visibly shaken, answered with a slap. Jada, who has spoken openly about living with alopecia, a condition that robs the scalp of hair, has taken the barb as a wound. The remark clearly struck a raw nerve, for both her and her husband. A beat later, Smith strutted onto the stage, drove a jab, across Rock's cheek, then shuffled back to his seat and screamed, "Keep my wife's name out your f**king mouth!"

Wanda Sykes recalls Will Smith's apology and Chris Rock's gesture after the 2022 Oscars incident

Wanda Sykes looks back on a night that’s been etched into Oscar folklore, the 2022 ceremony she co‑hosted with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. Though the gig marked a towering milestone, in her career, Sykes concedes the evening is now chiefly remembered for Will Smith’s on‑stage clash with Chris Rock, a flashpoint that instantly eclipsed everything.

Speaking with Variety, the comedian observes that most folks barely recall her hosting gig that year, while the incident itself keeps resurfacing in conversation. She also notes that Smith later reached out to apologize. They never managed to talk because she was ill at the time. 

In her words (via PEOPLE):

"He called. I had COVID or a bad cold. I just texted to say, 'Hey, I got your message. Thank you. I can't talk.' But he did call."

Sykes's recollection adds an angle to the discourse surrounding the 2022 Oscars incident. She pointed out that after that, Will Smith never made contact with her or the other hosts. She noted that Chris Rock sent her a private apology after the ceremony, a gesture she regarded as unnecessary since he wasn't at fault. Meanwhile, the actor faced a 10‑year ban from Academy events. In her words (via PEOPLE):

"I was like, 'Why are you apologizing?' He was like, 'It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina were doing such a great job. I'm so sorry this is now gonna be about this."

Over the ensuing months, Smith confessed that the incident had left a lingering bruise, calling himself "a work in progress." Rock meanwhile addressed the slap in his way, admitting it "hurt" but insisting he didn’t see himself as a victim.

Smith took to his Instagram handle and apologized for his behavior that night:

"Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at [the] Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress."

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