Chris Rock–Will Smith slapping incident
During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, actor Will Smith walked onstage and assaulted comedian Chris Rock by slapping him across the face during Rock's presentation of Best Documentary Feature. The slap was in response to a joke Rock made about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Smith returned to his seat and shouted profanity twice at Rock, who briefly responded calmly before completing his presentation without further interruption.
| Date | March 27, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Dolby Theatre |
| Location | Hollywood, Los Angeles, California |
| Also known as | "The Slap Heard Around the World" "Slapgate" "The Oscars Slap" "The Slap" "The Slappening" |
| Type | Assault by facial slapping |
| Motive | Disillusionment over a joke directed at Smith's wife, comparing her to Demi Moore's character in G.I. Jane |
| Target | Chris Rock |
| Perpetrator | Will Smith |
| Outcome | Smith resigns and is given a 10-year ban from all Academy events |
| Non-fatal injuries | None |
| Arrests | None |
| Charges | None |
Later that evening, Smith won Best Actor. In his acceptance speech, he apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and other nominees, but not to Rock. The next day, he issued an apology to Rock and the AMPAS through social media. Smith resigned his AMPAS membership on April 1, facing a potential suspension or expulsion, and was then banned from attending AMPAS-related events for ten years.
Live television broadcasts in the United States mostly muted the incident due to federal censorship laws. However, uncensored international footage went viral on social media; an excerpt from the Australian broadcast became one of the most-viewed online videos in the first 24 hours. The incident received worldwide attention and overshadowed the rest of the award ceremony.