Chris Rock, 61, isn’t exactly planning his next trip to the Oscars. But he does have one pretty specific condition that could get him back in the building.
The comedian made headlines during the 2022 Academy Awards when Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped him after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Four years later, the moment is still something Rock gets asked about. But honestly, he doesn’t seem too interested in letting that night define him.
Instead, Rock is promoting his latest project, “Misty Green,” a film he wrote, directed, and appears in. And while discussing the movie with Variety, he opened up about everything from the infamous Oscars moment to whether he would ever host the ceremony again.
Yep, Rock has an answer for that one, too.
Chris Rock Says He Would Return to the Oscars Under One Condition
GettyRock has hosted the Academy Awards twice, first in 2005 and again in 2016. So, naturally, the possibility of him returning as host came up.
Don’t expect Rock to campaign for the job anytime soon.
“When people answer those questions, they’re being disrespectful to the people that got the gig. They have great hosts. Conan O’Brien is amazing. Nikki Glaser is amazing on the Golden Globes. I’m not going to say never, but my time might have passed, honestly.”
That doesn’t mean he is completely closing the door. But it seems like Rock is perfectly comfortable letting other comedians have their turn.
And when it comes to actually attending the Oscars, he has an even simpler answer.
“I’m not getting nominated. The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated, and I’m not getting nominated. And that’s OK.”
But what if he is nominated?
“We’ll deal with that if it happens. Like, let’s manage expectations.”
Let’s be real, that’s a pretty clear condition.
Rock isn’t saying he will never return to the Oscars. He is simply saying that he would rather have a reason to be there than show up just because of his history with the ceremony.
Considering “Misty Green” is generating some awards buzz, fans may not want to completely rule out the possibility just yet.
Rock Doesn’t Want The Oscars Slap To Overshadow ‘Misty Green’
GettyOf course, no conversation about Rock and the Oscars can happen without someone bringing up what happened in 2022.
Rock was presenting the Best Documentary Feature when Smith came onto the stage. And slapped him following a joke about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Pinkett Smith had previously spoken publicly about having alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.
Smith, who won Best Actor that same night for “King Richard,” resigned from the Academy voluntarily and was later banned from attending Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.
But Rock made it clear that he doesn’t want that old story taking attention away from his new movie.
“I wish nothing would have happened… And also, I don’t want to say anything that takes any attention away from Rosalind [Green] and how good she is in this movie.”
He even brought up how trivial this all is in the grand scheme of things.
“It’s a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There’s all sorts of s**t going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important”
Honestly, that seems like a pretty understandable way to look at it. Rock has a new movie to talk about. And he clearly wants the conversation to center on the people who made it.
What To Know About ‘Misty Green’
“Misty Green” puts Rock back in the director’s chair for a story about a once-successful actress trying to find her way back after her career begins to fade.
Rosalind Eleazar stars as Misty Green, an award-winning actress who revisits her past and confronts personal demons while attempting to make a comeback after reconnecting with her former agent.
The cast also includes Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick, Topher Grace, Chris Rock, Anthony Anderson, Kelli Garner, Amy Landecker, Rich Sommer, and Tracie Thoms.
“Misty Green” is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12 before heading to theaters on October 9.
For Rock, this project gives him something new to put the spotlight on. Rather than continuing to revisit one night from four years ago, he is stepping behind the camera and helping tell a story with a talented cast.
Yep, if “Misty Green” does end up getting Rock anywhere near an Oscar nomination, his answer about returning to the ceremony could become a whole lot more interesting. For now, though, he seems happy to let the movie take center stage.
