Chris Rock has claimed Jada Pinkett Smith 'started' beef between him and Will Smith long before the infamous Oscars slap went down in 2022.
The whole world saw the moment Smith strode on to the stage and whacked Rock around the face in what initially looked like a dramatic response to the comedian's joke about Jada's hair.
But in a live set performed for Netflix this weekend, Rock claims the tension between himself and Smiths went back to 2016, after Smith starred in the drama Concussion.
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Smith's performance in the film sparked predictions he'd land a nomination for Best Actor in that year's Oscars season, but when he didn't make the cut, Rock claimed Jada took her feelings out on him.
"Years ago, his wife said I should quit the Oscars," he said during the special. "I shouldn't host 'cause her man didn't get nominated for Concussion. And then he gives me a f**king concussion."
Rock went on to claim that Jada told Rock he should quit 'cause Will didn't get nominated', but Rock obviously didn't give in and went on to host the event last year, when he compared Jada's shaved head to 'GI Jane'.
After storming the stage, Smith told Rock: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f**king mouth."
Rock claimed in the Netflix special that last year's events came after Jada's alleged request about his involvement in the Oscars, saying: “That’s how it is – she starts it, I finish it, OK? That's what the f*** happened. Nobody's picking on her. She started this s***."
The comedian left the audience hanging until the end of the performance before addressing the slap, acknowledging that fans 'know what happened' to him and adding: "I got smacked at the f***ing Oscars by this motherf***er."
"People are like, 'Did it hurt?' It still hurts," he continued. "I got 'Summertime' ringing in my ears."
Rock insisted that he is 'not a victim' and that he wouldn't appear on a chat show 'crying', claiming he 'took that hit like Pacquiao'.
He then cracked the audience up with jokes about the unfair fight between himself and Smith, saying: "I know you can't tell on camera - Will Smith is significantly bigger than me. We are not the same size, okay?
"Will Smith does movies with his shirt off. You've never seen me do a movie with my shirt off."
LADbible has contacted a representative for the Smiths for comment about Rock's claims.
Topics: Chris Rock, Will Smith, Celebrity, Netflix, TV and Film
Emily Brown