[The following story contains spoilers from Bad Boys: Ride or Die.]
Will Smith can’t escape the reminders of his infamous Oscars slap, even in Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
The fourth film in the Bad Boys franchise features a moment reminiscent of the actor’s onstage altercation with Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, but this time Smith is the one being slapped.
In the scene, Smith’s character Mike is having a panic attack. His detective partner Marcus (Martin Lawrence) helps him snap out of it by slapping him repeatedly in a moment played for comedic value.
During the 2022 Oscars, Smith shockingly stood up from his seat and walked onstage to smack Rock across the face after the comedian made a joke about the actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. After hitting Rock, Smith repeatedly shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!”
He has since apologized numerous times for his actions and resigned from the Academy, but he was banned from appearing at Film Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years. However, he can still be nominated and win an Oscar, and was able to keep his award for best actor, which he won during the ceremony, shortly after the slap, for his role in King Richard.
Recently, Jerry Seinfeld said he wanted Rock to parody being slapped by Smith in his movie Unfrosted. “I was going to have somebody come up to the stage [during the Bowl & Spoon Awards scene] and have Chris punch ’em out as they got there,” said Seinfeld.
Rock, however, wasn’t “up to perform” the part, as he was “a little shook from that event,” as the movie was being filmed shortly after the 2022 Oscars.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die hits theaters on Friday.
