Jada Pinkett Smith's Claim Chris Rock Asked Her Out Ignites New Theory About Oscars Slap

Fans think that Will Smith and Chris Rock's Oscar slap and the following apology have a much deeper meaning following Jada Pinkett Smith's eye-opening interview.

In March 2022, Hollywood came to a standstill when the "Men in Black" star slapped the comedian after he joked about the "Madagascar" actor's shaved head. Despite it occurring over a year ago, the shocking incident has continued to make headlines, due to various celebrity commentary, and Smith and Rock's individual statements on the matter. "I've reached out to Chris, and the message that came back is that he's not ready to talk, and when he is, he will reach out so I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you," the "Hitch" star said in a video statement in June 2022. As for Rock, he acknowledged the slap in his 2023 Netflix Special "Selective Outrage." "Y'all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Shug Smith," he said (via Vox). "Everybody knows. Everybody f***ing knows. Yes. It happened, like a year ago, I got smacked at the f***ing Oscars by this motherf***er."

On October 11, the Oscar slap made headlines again due to Pinkett's recent interview with People. While she reiterated her hopes for the two actors to find peace, which she previously said on a Red Table Talk in June 2022 (via TODAY), she did reveal new information about her complicated history with Rock –– which has sparked a new conspiracy theory about Smith's infamous slap.

While promoting her new book "Worthy," Jada Pinkett Smith spilled the tea to People about her dynamic with Chris Rock and, of course, the infamous Oscar slap. However, towards the end of her interview, Pinkett Smith dropped a bombshell claim that Rock had once asked her out during one of the many divorce rumor headlines regarding her and Smith. "I think every summer all the reports would come out that me and Will were getting a divorce," she explained. "And this particular summer, Chris, he thought that we were getting a divorce. So he called me, and basically he was like, 'I'd love to take you out.'" Pinkett Smith added that Rock immediately apologized after she denied the rumors. "He was appalled. And he profusely apologized, and that was that," she said.

It didn't take long for the "Set It Off" star's interview to make waves on social media, with many users contributing Smith's slap to Rock's misguided date request. One pop culture enthusiast wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "So Chris Rock actually deserved that slap lol." Another person commented, "The slap situation is beginning to make sense." Pinkett Smith's People interview came on the same day she revealed her seven-year separation from Smith. "I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy," she told Hoda Kotb on TODAY