Did God Tell Will Smith To Slap Chris Rock? A 2022 Oscars Roundup
NEW YORK— The last thing anyone expected from last night’s Oscars ceremony was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage.
The last thing anyone expected after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage was Smith talking about God’s calling for his life.
In case, somehow, you missed it: Presenter and comedian Chris Rock read a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. This is a result of her autoimmune condition, alopecia, which causes hair loss.
Pinkett Smith visibly didn’t appreciate the joke, and Smith soon was storming up the stage to make the slap heard ‘round the world.
Smith won Best Actor in a Leading Role almost an hour later for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, in “King Richard.” The Williamses are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the movie explores in brief how that faith factors into the lives of the family.
READ: In 'King Richard,' Venus And Serena Williams' Father Takes Too Much Credit
In a teary and somewhat disjointed acceptance speech, Smith made indirect apologies for his act of violence and talked about God’s calling for him.
“Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” Smith said. “In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world.”
He admitted that what he did made him “look like the crazy father” he plays in the movie and said that “love will make you do crazy things.”
“I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people,” Smith said. He claimed he was able to do this for his co-stars in “King Richard” and wanted to take care of his family and other people he cares about.
In the middle of his speech, Smith referenced a conversation he’d had with Denzel Washington after the incident.
“At your highest moment, be careful. That's when the devil comes for you,” Washington reportedly said.
As expected, the dramatic moment inspired an outpouring of online discourse. Many believed Rock was deserving for the extremely insensitive joke; others condemned Smith for his ready violence and called parts of his apology textbook language of domestic and spiritual abuse.
The Academy has condemned Smith’s actions and has announced it is conducting a review into his behavior. The New York Times reported there were serious discussions during the ceremony about removing Smith from the theater.
On Tuesday, Smith posted a formal apology on his Instagram.
“My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” he wrote. “Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”
While Smith’s slap and speech were the cause of the most ostentatious — and dramatic — mention of faith throughout the evening, other smaller moments populated the night.
READ: Oscar-Nominated 'The Power Of The Dog' Gets Its Title From A Famous Psalm
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“Dune,” whose story is based heavily on Arabic religion and a holy war narrative, swept craft awards for its visuals and audio. It won Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing and Best Sound.
The In Memoriam section, which pays tribute to those who died in the past year, featured a performance from the Samples Choir — a choral group with a range of musical influences who worked with Kanye West from the inception of Sunday Service.
Their medley had a decidedly more religious slant to it than past years’ tributes, including songs like “Holy” and “Heaven” and concluding with a hallelujah chorus — plus songs like “Spirit in the Sky” and “I Will Remember You.”
In the second-to-last award of the night, Jessica Chastain won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
READ: After Falling From Grace, Televangelist Jim Bakker Is Still On The Air
In her acceptance speech, she mentioned high rates of suicide and general “hopelessness,” “bigoted legislation” against LGBTQ people and “violence and hate crimes” happening internationally.
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“In times like this, I think of Tammy, and I'm inspired by her radical acts of love,” Chastain said. “We've talked about love a lot tonight. And I'm inspired by her compassion, and I see it as a guiding principle that leads us forward.”
Jillian Cheney is a contributing culture writer for Religion Unplugged. She also writes on American Protestantism and evangelical Christianity and was Religion Unplugged’s 2020-21 Poynter-Koch fellow. You can find her on Twitter @_jilliancheney.