Years Later, Will Smith’s Oscars Controversy Returns as Co-Star Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Her comments have reopened one of Hollywood's longest-running arguments: was Smith reacting as a husband trying to defend his wife after a deeply personal joke, or did he cross a line that should never be crossed? For Ellis-Taylor, her opinion comes from more than.

She says it comes from knowing Smith as a colleague, a leading actor, and the person she worked alongside during the making of King Richard. At the time, Pinkett Smith had publicly spoken about her struggle with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.

What Happened

Some audience members appeared unsure whether it was part of the show, but the atmosphere changed when Smith walked onto the stage. He approached Rock and slapped him before returning to his seat.

• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Smith's co-star in King Richard, has reignited the debate surrounding the 2022 Academy Awards after saying she still supports him and understands why he reacted the way he did when he confronted.

• The 2022 Academy Awards were supposed to be remembered as the night Will Smith finally won Hollywood's biggest acting prize, but one unscripted moment completely changed the story.

• On March 27, 2022, comedian Chris Rock took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to present the award for Best Documentary Feature.

Key Details

Smith then shouted from the audience, telling Rock to keep his wife's name out of his mouth. The broadcast continued, but the moment immediately became the biggest story of the night.

• During his presentation, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, comparing her appearance to Demi Moore's character in the 1997 movie G.I.

• Pinkett Smith revealed in 2018 that she had been diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that affects hair growth and can lead to hair loss.

• He apologized to the Academy and fellow nominees, but he did not apologize directly to Rock during that speech.

Why It Matters

Instead of being remembered only for awards, speeches, and celebrations, the ceremony became defined by a confrontation watched by millions around the world. Long before that night, Will Smith had spent decades building one of Hollywood's most successful careers and one of.

• During his acceptance speech, Smith spoke about protecting people he loves and said that "love will make you do crazy things."

• Later that evening, Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by Yahoo as more details emerge