Chris Rock has made his feelings about returning to the Oscars clear, four years after the ceremony’s infamous onstage slap. The filmmaker said he has no plans to return to the awards show unless a specific scenario comes into the picture.
While promoting his upcoming feature film Misty Green, Variety asked the director how it feels to consider returning to the acclaimed award event. Rock replied, “I’m not getting nominated. The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated, and I’m not getting nominated.”
The Emmy Award winner then added, “And that’s OK. We’ll deal with that if it happens. Like, let’s manage expectations.”
Rock was a two-time host for the Oscars in 2005 and 2016. When asked whether he will return to hosting, he praised the recent hosts like Conan O’Brien and Nikki Glaser for the Golden Globes. The 61-year-old acknowledged that his hosting days may be behind him by saying, “I’m not going to say never, but my time might have passed, honestly.”
What else did Chris Rock say about the Oscars Will Smith slap?
Reflecting on the onstage incident four years later, Rock kept his answer brief. He said he wishes it never happened but didn’t want the moment to overshadow Rosalind Eleazar’s performance in his new film. “I wish nothing would have happened,” Rock told Variety.
The South Carolina-born comedian also emphasized that the situation remains small compared to bigger real-world issues. “It’s a crazy world,” Rock added. “Me having a bad day is not the biggest — it’s not that important.”
His comments come after Will Smith slapped Rock onstage during the 2022 Academy Awards. The incident happened after Rock made an unscripted joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, prompting Smith to walk onto the stage and strike the comedian. Subsequently, Smith apologized for his actions and received a 10-year ban from the honorary organization.
Misty Green is set to arrive in theaters on October 9, 2026. It will also premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2026.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
