How Will Smith Reached Out To Wanda Sykes After He ‘Overshadowed’ Her Oscars Hosting Gig By Slapping Chris Rock

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Most people who remember the 2022 Academy Awards think of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, not the awards themselves. The surprising act of violence overshadowed everything else that happened that night, including the hosting duties shared by Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall, and Amy Schumer. Later on, Smith did apologize to Sykes for his actions, though it took some time.

While discussing her “Please & Thank You” standup tour with Variety, the comedian revealed that Will Smith, the star of Men in Black, had reached out to her. After the interviewer, Selome Hailu, pointed out that her hosting work at the awards show was overshadowed by the incident involving the slap, Sykes was asked if she still considers that night a success or if the memory has been ruined.

I really enjoyed working with Regina Hall and Amy Schumer. However, as you pointed out, the event didn’t get the focus it deserved. People often talk about that night and don’t even remember I was the host – they assume I was just watching from the audience or at home. But I was actually there, on stage.

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Will Smith has opened up about taking time to focus on personal growth in the years following the incident at the Oscars. He described essentially stepping back from public life to work on himself.

I was really surprised and honestly disappointed to see Will Smith bring up the Oscars slap in his new song. Chris Rock’s brother is saying what a lot of us are thinking – it feels unnecessary and like he’s still trying to talk about it. He basically said the song isn’t good, and he’s guessing it’s because Smith is fixated on the past. It just seems like rehashing old news, and it doesn’t sit right with me.

The incident began when comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head while presenting an award. He referenced the movie G.I. Jane, alluding to her appearance. Will Smith then walked on stage and slapped Rock, returning to his seat and angrily telling him not to mention his wife’s name again.

Will Smith went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard and later apologized for the incident. Although his acceptance speech didn’t mention Chris Rock, he apologized to him privately the following day. Wanda Sykes initially stated that Smith hadn’t apologized to her for the upsetting event, but she later revealed that he did eventually contact her, saying:

Yes, he called me. I was sick – it was either COVID or a really bad cold. I quickly texted him back to say I’d received his message and to thank him, but I wasn’t up to talking. Still, he actually called.

Whether Will Smith and Wanda Sykes fully discussed the incident after she recovered isn’t known, but he did apologize. Sykes had a close connection to the situation because she’d been friends with Chris Rock since opening for him in the mid-1990s, and they later both worked on The Chris Rock Show as writers and performers. As a result of his actions, Smith was removed from the Academy and prohibited from attending any Academy events for ten years.

Wanda Sykes is currently on tour with “Please & Thank You,” with shows running until March 2026. Also, Will Smith’s production company, Westbrook, has a new agreement to create multiple films with Paramount. The 98th Academy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and Conan O’Brien will be hosting for another year.

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2025-10-28 02:41