Heads up: only one thing gets Chris Rock back to Oscars after Will Smith slap
If you were hoping to see Chris Rock back at the Oscars, he says it’ll take one very specific condition — four years on from Will Smith’s infamous slap.
The annual Oscars circus is coming back round soon, but don't expect Chris Rock to be anywhere near it — not unless some major stars align, apparently. After the whole business with Will Smith rampaging up on stage a few years ago, Rock's been very clear about his feelings on another return. Still, he's not hiding from the topic while doing the press rounds for his new film.
Rock told Variety at a recent promo stop: "I'm not getting nominated. The only way I'll go back is if I'm nominated, and I'm not getting nominated."
He doubled down with a bit of dry realism: if by some miracle he is nominated, he'll deal with it then, but he isn't holding his breath.
Rock, who's already hosted the show twice (back in 2005 and 2016), isn't eager to pick up the hosting gig again either. When the question came up, he gave a nod to more recent presenters — Conan O'Brien and Nikki Glaser at the Golden Globes — and suggested those days are probably behind him. He doesn't entirely rule it out but, in his words, his time might have passed.
Still Grappling With "The Slap"
When it comes to that infamous slap — yes, the 2022 Academy Awards one caused by an offhand joke about Jada Pinkett Smith — Rock's response now is as understated as possible. He told Variety he wishes none of it had happened, but wants to keep the focus on Rosalind Eleazar, who stars in his new film Misty Green, rather than rehashing old news.
As he put it: "It’s a crazy world. Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important."
Of course, the fallout from the 2022 Oscars was massive, with Smith apologising and then winding up on the receiving end of a decade-long ban from the Academy. Rock’s never been one to milk the drama — at least not in interviews — and he’d prefer the moment didn’t keep overshadowing his career or his collaborators.
On to the Next Film
Meanwhile, his directorial effort Misty Green is due in UK cinemas on 9 October 2026, with its first big outing at the Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September. Rock is firmly focused on talking up his cast and moving past awards-show chaos.