Jada Pinkett Smith finally shared her side of the Slapgate incident that got Will Smith banned from the Oscars

Actress and Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith shared what she really felt at the 94th Academy Awards after her husband went on the stage to slap the host of the night. The infamous slap incident also referred to as the Slapgate, not only became the highlight of the 2022 Oscars but also of the year for Hollywood.

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards
The King Richard star slapped Chris Rock on live television after he made a joke about his wife’s shaved head. At the time many assumed that the whole thing was planned beforehand. And The Matrix star has shared that she also believed the same.

Jada Pinkett Smith Believed The Slap Was a Skit

The 2022 Oscar incident, infamously referred to as The Slap resulted in a 10-year ban from Oscars and all other Academy events for Will Smith. And the seriousness of the Men in Black star’s act wasn’t noted until the news about the ban came out, as many believed that the whole thing was staged for publicity.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith at the 94th Annual Academy Awards
And his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, was also among these people just for a few moments. During a recent interview with People, the actress shared that she didn’t believe it was real at first. The Nutty Professor actress said, “I thought, ‘This is a skit.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him.’”

She shared that she was not able to fully grasp the gravity of the situation until her husband started walking back to his chair. “It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit,” she revealed. Pinkett Smith shared that she was concerned for her husband and asked him if he was okay after the show ended.
Chris Rock

What Happened at the 2022 Academy Awards?

The 2022 Oscar incident has become one of the most infamous moments in the history of the Academy Awards. Will Smith, who was a contender for Best Actor Oscar and eventually won the award, was enraged by a joke about his wife’s shaved head.
Will Smith with his Oscar trophy
Unpleased with the joke, he took the stage, slapped Chris Rock, came back, and continued shouting at the host after returning to his seat. During his acceptance speech, the actor apologized to the Academy and nominees but not to Rock.

His actions also led to a 10-year ban from the Oscars and all other Academy events. As per Variety, Smith also resigned from the Academy, saying, “I betrayed the trust of the Academy.” A day later, he apologized to the comedian via a statement and has done the same multiple times since.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
But the Spiral star has refused to accept his apology. He addressed the incident publicly in his Netflix special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. Jada Pinkett Smith has also said that she would like Smith and Rock to reconcile. However, US Weekly‘s sources claimed that the actor had no “immediate plans” to forgive the Oscar winner.