Though veteran comedian Wanda Sykes co-hosted the 2022 Oscars with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, their work at the event was overshadowed after Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock following a joke he made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
In a recent interview with Variety, Sykes, 61, stated that Smith, 57, ultimately reached out to her to apologize for his actions. Sykes touched on the incident when she was asked about her co-hosting duties at the event.
“I forgot about that,” the Ice Age star said about hosting the event. Sykes was also asked if she celebrated that night as an “achievement” or if it was a “soured” memory.
“I mean, I loved working with Regina [Hall] and Amy [Schumer]. But like you said, it got overshadowed,” she emphasized. “People talk to me about that night without even mentioning, ‘Oh yeah, you hosted, right?’ Like I was in the audience or at home, watching TV. But I was there.”
And though Sykes had initially said that Smith did not apologize to her in the aftermath of the incident, she confirmed that he ultimately reached out to her.
“He did,” the Monster-in-Law star stated. “He called. I had COVID or a bad cold. I just texted to say, ‘Hey, I got your message. Thank you. I can’t talk.’ But he did call.”
During a March 2022 appearance on The Ellen Show, Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres that she met Rock, 60, at the Oscars afterparty following the incident, and the award-winning comedian apologized to her.
“I was like, ‘Why are you apologizing?’” she said at the time. “He was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.’”
She added: “Because that’s who Chris is.”
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banned Smith from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years after he slapped Rock at the event.
“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” the organization said.
The Academy explained that banning Smith was to protect performers and guests and restore trust in the Academy.
Rock was on stage to present the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars when he made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, which is due to alopecia. Smith walked up on stage and hit Rock before going back to his seat and shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.”
Smith later apologized during his best actor acceptance speech. Smith won the Best Actor award for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard.
The Academy, in its statement, said that it did not “adequately address the situation in the room” at the time of the slap and had been “unprepared for the unprecedented.” It apologized for the incident while thanking Rock for “maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances.”
Smith’s resignation means he will not be able to vote on future Oscars. He had already resigned from the Academy, saying that he had betrayed the trust of the organization and was heartbroken.
Smith also accepted his punishment for the slap. In a statement, Smith said: “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
