Chris Rock Sets Oscars Return Condition

Four years after the infamous onstage confrontation with Will Smith, comedian Chris Rock has stated that his return to the Academy Awards would hinge on receiving a nomination, a prospect he does not anticipate. In a recent interview, Rock elaborated on his stance regarding the Oscars, where he was struck by Smith in 2022 after making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Rock told Variety that the only scenario under which he would attend the ceremony again is if he were nominated for an award. However, he quickly tempered this by adding, "I'm not getting nominated. And that's OK. We'll deal with that if it happens. Like, let's manage expectations." Rock, who has hosted the Oscars twice, also suggested that his tenure as a host might be over. While he did not definitively rule out hosting again, he indicated that his time for that role may have passed, praising current hosts and noting it would be disrespectful to those who have recently taken on the gig. He reportedly declined an offer to host the 2023 ceremony. Reflecting on the 2022 incident, Rock expressed a wish that it had never occurred. He placed the event in a broader context, stating, "It's a crazy world.