Chris Rock's mom has spoken out about her son being slapped by Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars.
Rose Rock, the mother of the 57-year-old comedian and actor, recently spoke to NBC News affiliate WIS-TV News about the now-infamous Oscars slap.
Just like millions of people around the world, Rose Rock watched on as the Men In Black star took to the stage to confront her son at the 94th Academy Awards back in March.
Moments prior, Rock had made a joke aimed at Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. "Jada! I love you! G.I Jane II - can't wait to see it," Rock quipped, in an apparent reference to the 50-year-old's closely shaved head.
However, considering Pinkett Smith has been open about her alopecia diagnosis in recent years, her husband clearly felt like Rock had crossed a line. The 53-year-old I Am Legend star then approached Rock on the stage, before slapping him across the face.
"You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye and you went and made her day because she was mulled over laughing when it happened," Rose Rock told WIS-TV News.
The comedian's mother was referring to the fact that Smith appeared to initially laugh at Rock's gag, as Jada rolled her eyes and turned away. An alternative angle of the altercation also shows Pinkett Smith's reaction to the slap, in which, she appears to laugh at the uncomfortable moment.
Rose Rock - who works as a motivational speaker, family and youth advocate, and author - was watching the prestigious ceremony from home. She told the outlet that she initially believed the slap was part of a skit between the two stars, but quickly realized it was genuine when Smith started yelling obscenities from his seat.
"Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth," Smith repeatedly told a flustered Rock.
"When [Smith] slapped Chris, he slapped all of us," the doting mother said. "He really slapped me, because when you hurt my child, you hurt me."
She went on to say that she is "really proud" of how her son handled the altercation, but expressed disappointment in the Academy's decision to ban Smith from the Oscars for 10 years.
"What does that mean? You don't even go every year," Rose Rock said.
Following the incident, Smith did issue an apology to Rock on Instagram, writing in a post: "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
But Rose Rock feels like this gesture was not enough.
"I feel really bad that he never apologized," the mother said. "I mean his people wrote up a piece saying I apologize to Chris Rock, but you see something like that is personal, you reach out."
