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Will Smith’s On-Screen Wife Defends Oscars Slap, Calls Chris Rock an ‘A--Hole’

Ellis-Taylor said Smith was protecting his wife and praised his conduct on the King Richard set.

  • Actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor recently defended Will Smith on The Daily Beast's Obsessed podcast, stating she understood his motivation to protect his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, during the 2022 Oscars incident.
  • The 2022 incident occurred after Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, unaware of her alopecia condition; Smith approached the stage, slapped Rock, and later shouted at him before winning the Academy Award for Best Actor.
  • Despite the controversy, Ellis-Taylor praised Smith's conduct on the King Richard set, describing her co-star as a "caretaker" of the cast who ensured everyone was treated respectfully.
  • Referencing her Mississippi background, Ellis-Taylor argued that First Amendment rights should not shield speech intended to cause harm, citing her experience with rhetoric defending the Confederate flag.
  • The Academy subsequently banned Smith from attending its events for 10 years following the ceremony, while Ellis-Taylor currently stars in the Apple miniseries Lucky, airing its finale on August 19.
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Social News XYZ broke the news on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
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