Chris Rock–Will Smith slapping incident
| Date | March 27, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Dolby Theatre |
| Location | Hollywood, Los Angeles, California |
| Also known as | "The Slap Heard Around the World" "Slapgate" "The Slappening" |
| Type | Assault by facial slapping |
| Target | Chris Rock |
| Perpetrator | Will Smith |
| Outcome | Smith resigned from the Academy and is given a 10-year ban from all Academy events |
| Charges | None (Rock filed no police report, LAPD filed no charges) |
During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 actor Will Smith walked onstage and slapped comedian Chris Rock across the face during Rock's presentation for Best Documentary Feature. The slap was in response to an unscripted joke Rock made about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, which was a result of alopecia. Rock said that he "can't wait to see" Pinkett Smith in a sequel to the film G.I. Jane (1997), in which Demi Moore's titular character has a shaved head. After slapping Rock, Smith returned to his seat and shouted profanity twice at Rock, who briefly responded before completing his presentation without further interruption.
Later that evening, Smith won Best Actor for his role in King Richard. 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 Academy membership on April 1, facing a potential suspension or expulsion, and was banned from attending AMPAS events for 10 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 largely overshadowed the rest of the ceremony.