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Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Oscars, Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith
Katherine Sidnell
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Oscars, Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed that before the infamous 'Oscars slap', Chris Rock once asked her out on a date.
It emerged today that Jada has been secretly separated from husband Will Smith for the last seven years, news that was revealed in an interview ahead of the release of her new book, Worthy.
And this wasn't the only bombshell Jada dropped as it turns out upon hearing that the Gotham star was separating from her husband, comedian Chris Rock decided to make his move which instantly backfired.
This wouldn’t be the only awkward interaction the trio would have though, with the infamous 'Oscars slap' happening only a few years later in 2022. Watch the awkward award ceremony below:
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Jada, 52, made the shocking revelation about her marriage this week as she promoted her new memoir, Worthy, which is due to be released next week on October 17.
Although she mentioned the awkward moment with Chris Rock in her book, the Girls Trip star sat with People magazine to explain just what happened.
It happened back in 2016, with Jada being plagued by rumours that she Will were separating - something that has now emerged to be true.
While she ignored them for the most part, Chris did not and decided to shoot his shot in a toe-curling phone call.
Jada explained: “I think every summer all the reports would come out that me and Will were getting a divorce. And this particular summer, Chris, he thought that we were getting a divorce.”
Continuing, she explained how she quickly corrected The Longest Yard actor.
Jada explained: “So he called me and basically he was like, ‘I'd love to take you out.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He was like, ‘Well, aren't you and Will getting a divorce?’ I was like, ‘No. Chris, those are just rumors'.”
Whilst most of us would have just hung up, the Everybody Hates Chris writer immediately began to apologize – apparently ‘appalled’ by the mix-up.
Though the pair moved past the moment, it wouldn’t be the last awkward interaction that she and Chris would have.
Jada had previously called for Chris to boycott the 2016 Oscars, after no actors of colour were nominated for the coveted award.
Will had also been snubbed that year, despite appearing in the critically praised drama Concussion.
Even with the #OscarsSoWhite movement though, Chris refused to step down as the host and even made jokes about Jada in his Netflix comedy special years later.
With this tension simmering in the background, the stage was set for the infamous Oscars slap – which became a viral moment in 2022.
After multiple jokes about his wife - seemingly aimed at her alopecia - Will shouted down Chris and ended up assaulting the host on stage in front of the entire world.
Jada claims that they’ve not spoken since the notorious night, which ended with her husband being banned from the ceremony for a decade.
She told People: “[Do I have] any desire to talk to Chris? Here's my desire: I just hope that all the misunderstanding around this can be cleared up and that there can be peace.”