Will Smith's Ex Sheree Zampino Had Quite A Reaction To The Chris Rock Slap

Everyone — and we do mean everyone — had something to say about Will Smith's slap at the 2022 Oscars. In case you missed it, it occurred while host Chris Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary. Before listing the names of the nominees, Rock took a moment to poke fun at the audience. Among those on the receiving end of his jokes was Jada Pinkett Smith, Will's wife. Rock went on to compare Pinkett Smith — who at the time had a shaved head — to Demi Moore in the film "G. I. Jane."

Apparently, enraged on his wife's behalf, Smith stormed onto the stage and slapped Rock across the face. When he returned to his seat, Smith went on to shout, "Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!" To which Rock responded, "Wow, dude. It was a G. I. Jane joke." The altercation caused such a commotion for weeks that followed, which overshadowed Will's long sought-after Best Actor award win that evening for his role in "King Richard." 

Per NPR, three months after the Oscars, Will publicly apologized via his YouTube channel and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Back in June, Pinkett Smith spoke about the incident on her Facebook Watch series "Red Table Talk," however, she's not the only woman in Will's life who had something to say about the big night. 

Will Smith and his ex-wife, Sheree Zampino — with whom he shares a son, Trey Smith — have remained close friends since their divorce in 1995. So of course, on August 8, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star shared her thoughts about the infamous Oscars night with Us Weekly. "It was one of those moments where I froze," Zampino told the publication. "The first thing you do is you try to make sense of it in the [moment]. And when it doesn't make sense in the moment ... We didn't even really have time. I didn't even deal with it."

Zampino advised that a public reconciliation between Chris Rock and Smith would be a "powerful" moment for all. "When Chris and Will can come together and heal in a public way and extend forgiveness to one another?" she asked. "Do you know how many people that's gonna help and set free? So, I see the opportunity in it." 

And while the reality star hopes for the two men to squash the tension, she knows Smith will be fine nonetheless. "I think the reason why he's so successful is because he's done it with a lot of dignity, he's done it with a lot of grace," she revealed. "Will is always gonna be OK."