Two months after her husband Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars, Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken about the incident for the first time. The slap came after Rock made a joke at Jada’s expense, referencing the hair loss she has due to alopecia. In the episode of Red Table Talk, she said she hoped that the two men could work out the issue.
The episode’s focus was on alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp and other areas of the body for millions of people, including children. Jada, her mother and her daughter explored the stories of two people who experience alopecia. One woman was the mother of a 12-year-old girl, who after receiving bullying about her hairless at school, committed suicide.
Chris Rock was the host of this year’s Oscars, where Will had been nominated for his role in King Richard. Rock made a joke about Jada, who had recently shaved her head and been open about her struggles with losing her hair. Following the joke that clearly upset Jada, Will walked onto stage and slapped Rock across the face. He then proceeded to yell from the audience at Rock.
Will Smith has since been banned from attending the awards show for the next 10 years. While he has released statements concerning the incident, this episode of Red Table Talk was the first time Jada has addressed it. In a brief statement at the conclusion of the show she said, “My deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile”.
Jada went on to say that the world needs both of the men, and that we all need each other given the “state of the world today”. Chris Rock has yet to speak officially on the incident, however Will issued a formal apology to Rock and the academy. It is unclear whether the two have spoken personally concerning the confrontation.
