“That was his humiliation ritual” - Internet reacts to Will Smith dodging question about Oscar ban over Chris Rock slap

Will Smith seems to be avoiding all questions about the infamous moment he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.

The veteran actor and Academy Award winner recently sat down for an interview with The Associated Press, where he was asked about his 10-year ban from the Oscars. However, he dodged the question, and instead replied with a thinly veiled response:

“I’ve taken the last couple of years to really do a deep dive on the parts of me that may or may not been in that level of certainty and asking those deep scary internal questions,” said Smith.

In 2022, Smith, who had just won his first Oscar for Best Actor for his work in King Richard, seemingly got upset at Chris Rock's jabs at his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. He responded by taking to the stage, slapping Rock, and demanding that the comedian keep his "wife's name out your f*cking mouth."

Fans have since begun dissecting his interview, with some ridiculing him for overreacting and getting banned in the first place. However, most users also lauded him for standing up for his wife. Here's what one user penned on Instagram, for instance:

"That was his humiliation ritual"

Even more chimed in with their own opinions and comments:

"Well Said Will "Fresh Prince of Bell Air" Smith. U still our Legend the Oscars will miss u. U don't need the Oscar's to validate your credibility as a top Actor in the film industry," someone penned on Instagram.

"He doing TikTok’s and having fun that man ain’t thinking about that ban 😂," another jokingly pointed out.

"Media training at its finest," one more chimed in.

The comments didn't end there:

"This man has won his Oscar, been in the industry nearly 40 years, and is still going viral on social media and connecting with the younger generation. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t care about being banned," a user opined.

"Yall need to move on , we ❤️ @willsmith," another asserted.

Here's what the rest of Instagram is saying:

"Idc y’all can’t make me HATE him 🤌🏽🥰," a fan penned.

"I’m not mad at him but it is still shocking that he did that. It’s like he saw red and became someone else," another noted.

"We love you Will Smith.. aint nothing changed over here.." someone else echoed.

Users were visibly divided over his response, and while scores online lauded him for standing up for his wife, a number of them did feel like his answer was just a result of his media training.

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Will Smith makes a comeback in the world of music after two decades

Speaking with the Associated Press on March 24, 2025, Smith, who is slated to release his first studio album, Based on a True Story on Friday, said:

“It really is the result of my initial self-examination. Every song is about some part of myself that I discovered or wanted to explore, something I wanted to share. It’s the most full musical offering that I’ve ever created.”

Will Smith's latest album will be his first music venture in the last two decades since he dropped Lost and Found. The album will feature guest appearances from Big Sean, Teyana Taylor, DJ Jazzy Jeff, his son Jaden Smith, Jac Ross, and Kanye West's Sunday Service Choir.

According to the outlet, the veteran musician cum actor will be releasing three albums this year, each of which will be called Seasons.