Red Table Talk to Address Will Smith’s Oscars Slap “When the Time Calls”

Jada Pinkett Smith’s show Red Table Talk will talk the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars slap “when the time calls.” A message aired before Wednesday’s pre-taped episode of the Facebook Watch series said Red Table Talk plans to address Smith smacking Rock live on air during the broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards, the incident that resulted in a 10-year ban from all Academy events for the King Richard Best Actor winner. The web series, hosted by Smith, her daughter Willow Smith, and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, is co-produced by Will and Jada’s Westbrook Studios.

“Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focused on deep healing,” the message said (via The Hollywood Reporter). “Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls.” 

Red Table Talk did not reveal when it will discuss the Smith-Rock Oscars incident, adding upcoming episodes will “continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies” until the time comes. Will Smith has appeared in multiple episodes across all four seasons of Red Table Talk, described by Pinkett Smith as “a safe space” forum for “real, raw, unfiltered conversations” at the virtual table with three generations of women. 

The initial altercation happened when Rock, guest-presenting the Academy Award for Best Documentary, cracked a joke about Smith’s bald hairstyle with a reference to the 1997 Demi Moore film G.I. Jane. Smith, who has been open about her hair loss due to alopecia, previously addressed her decision to shave her head on a September 2021 episode of Red Table Talk titled “Jada Goes Bald!” 

First-time Oscar winner Will briefly addressed the incident in a statement posted to his social media the day after the Oscars ceremony, writing in part on Instagram, “Violence in all of its form is poisonous and destructive.” Calling his actions “unacceptable and inexcusable,” Smith’s statement continued, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” 

After the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences decided to ban Smith from all Academy events for a decade, prohibiting his attendance at future ceremonies, Smith issued a single sentence response: “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”

Earlier this month, Rock told the audience of his stand-up comedy show he’s “not talking about [Smith’s slap] until I get paid.”