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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte McIntyre

Inside Chris Rock's feud with Jada Pinkett Smith after THAT slap ended 26-year friendship

Viewers of last year's Academy Awards watched as Chris Rock mocked Jada Pinkett Smith but this isn't the first time she's been at the centre of the comedian's jokes.

Chris' joke and the infamous slap by Will Smith that followed quickly became one of the Oscars' most notorious moments in its 94-year history.

Will retaliated after Chris mocked Jada's alopecia while hosting the Oscars at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre in 2022 and the actor, who later that same evening won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard, subsequently apologised.

However, in Chris' recent Netflix special, the comedian takes aim at Will and Jada over the incident making it clear their 26-year friendship has come to a definite end.

Chris Rock's 26-year friendship with Will and Jada came to an abrupt end (FilmMagic)

Jada and Chris previously worked alongside each other in the animated Madagascar trilogy, travelling the world together to promote the three films between 2005 and 2012.

The pair even presented the gong for Favourite Voice From An Animated Movie at the 2005 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, where Will also performed.

Chris also appeared in a 1996 episode of The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, the show that made Jada's husband a household name.

Ironically, Chris even once commented that his friendship with Will was so strong his jokes would never be directed towards the actor as well as Barack Obama and Brad Pitt.

Chris Rock appeared in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air with Will Smith (NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Chris Rock has taken aim at Will and Jada in his new Netflix special (Getty Images)

He told CNN in 2009: "(Obama's) just one of those guys, you know, like Will Smith. There's no Will Smith jokes. There's no Brad Pitt jokes.

"You know, what are you going to say? 'Ooh, you used to have sex with Jennifer Aniston. Now you have sex with Angelina Jolie. You're such a loser.'"

However, it appears Chris and Jada's feud originated back in 2016 when the comedian hosted the Academy Awards but the Smiths' boycotted in protest over lack of diversity.

It marked the second consecutive year where people of colour had not been nominated, sparking the #OscarsSoWhite movement.

Will slapped Chris on stage at the 94th Academy Awards (AFP via Getty Images)

Chris mocked Jada on stage about not attending as he joked: "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties. I wasn't invited."

Two years later, Will posted an Instagram birthday tribute to his ex-wife Sheree Zampino, with Chris commenting commenting: "Wow. You have a very understanding wife."

The feud culminated at last year's 94th annual Academy Awards where Chris made a gag about Jada's alopecia, referencing the 1997 film G.I. Jane, a role that actress Demi Moore famously shaved her head for.

The Oscar-winning actor appeared to laugh along at first before subsequently jumping up from his seat, storming the stage and slapping Chris across the face.

Will and Jada reunited after calling time on their marriage (AFP via Getty Images)

"Wow," Chris remarked. "Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me," before Will, who had sat back down, added: "Keep my wife's name out your f***king mouth."

In his new stand-up comedy special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, the comedian references Jada's affair with August Alsina as he opens up on being slapped by her husband.

"She hurt him way more than he hurt me, OK," Chris said. "I tried to call the motherf***** and give him my condolences. He wouldn't pick up for me.

"Everybody called him a b****," the comedian continued. "And who is he hitting? Me a n**** her knows h can be beat. That is some b**** a** s***. That I what the f*** happened, OK. I didn't do nothing to this motherf*****.

A source close to Jada claimed Chris is "obsessed" with her (FACEBOOK)

"Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars," Chris claimed. "I shouldn't host because her man did not get nominated for [Concussion], the biggest piece of s**** ever. She starts it, I finished it. Nobody's picking on this b****- she started it. Nobody was picking on her. And then this n***** gives me a f****** concussion, OK. What the f*** man?"

A source close to the couple told PEOPLE about the feud: "Jada has had no part in all of this other than being heckled. Chris is obsessed with her and that's been going on for almost 30 years. Look where he chose to film his Netflix special. Her hometown [of Baltimore]. Obsessed.

"Back in 2016 she helped start a movement with the Academy Awards by questioning why there are so few Black members, and Chris took it to this?" the source added.

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