Will Smith's attack on comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars is not the first time there has been bad blood between the pair. In 2016, the stand-up comic hosted the Academy Awards, where both the King Richard star and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, were the butts of some pointed jokes..
Rock made fun of Pinkett Smith’s public avowal to boycott the show after another year of all-white acting nominees. He said: “Jada said she’s not coming. I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s gonna boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”
READ MORE: Will Smith hits Chris Rock on Oscars stage after joke
Rock also poked fun at Smith, whose name had been bandied about as a possible Oscar nominee for his role in the film Concussion.
“Will was not nominated for ‘Concussion.’ I get it. You get mad. It’s not fair that Will was this good and didn’t get nominated. You’re right,” he said. “It’s also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for ‘Wild Wild West.’”
When Jada was asked about the jokes after the ceremony she seemed to shrug it off saying it "comes with the territory".
Adding fuel to the fire, in 2018, Chris posted controversial comments about Will’s relationship with his ex-wife Sheree Zampino after the actor wished her a happy birthday.
Under the birthday message, Chris commented: ”Wow. You have a very understanding wife.” Sheree replied with: “Don’t hate.”
And maybe those feelings have been simmering as Will Smith hit Chris Rock in the face on stage during the Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife’s hair. Referring to Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut, Rock said: “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2.”
Jada has previously opened up about her struggle with hair loss and alopecia. In an episode of her Facebook chat show, Red Table Talk, she said "handfuls of hair" came loose in the shower.
