Why Will Smith Was Mad At Chris Rock Before The Oscars Even Started

Will Smith had a huge night at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27. The actor — who was a leading Oscar contender for his performance as Richard Williams in the 2021 film, "King Richard" — had a night filled with victory and turmoil.

Will found himself in a world of chaos after slapping comedian Chris Rock, following a joke he made at Jada Pinkett Smith's expense. Rock quipped, "Jada I love you, 'G.I. Jane 2,' can't wait to see it." The joke seemingly amused Will, who smiled following the comment, while Jada appeared noticeably bothered by the remark. The "Fresh Prince" star then rushed to the stage and slapped Rock — who was presenting the award for Best Documentary. Following the slap, Will returned to his seat while Rock appeared stunned on stage. "Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me," Rock exclaimed. Will, who had returned to his seat yelled in response, "Keep my wife's name out your f**king mouth!"

However, fans may be surprised to learn that the incident at the 2022 Oscars ceremony isn't the first time Will Smith and Chris Rock have fallen into conflict.

Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith in the past

The altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony shocked viewers everywhere. The conflict, which seemingly stemmed from the joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith's buzzed haircut, may have started years ago.

The comedian previously took a jab at the Smiths when he hosted the 2016 Academy Awards. At the time, Will and Jada had chosen not to attend the ceremony in response to the lack of Black nominees in the organization's leading categories. In his opening monologue, Rock joked, "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited." While Rock's shot at the famous couple happened back in 2016, it appears Will is still harboring ill feelings. An insider claimed to People that Will slapping Rock at this year's Oscars was partly due to his frustration after Rock's previous comments. "Will was still mad about that," the source told the outlet.

However, it appears the slap heard around the world is already water under the bridge for the actors. Following the altercation, Diddy confirmed to Page Six that the pair had already made up. "That's not a problem. That's over. I can confirm that." Rock has yet to make an official statement.