1-Year Anniversary of the Slap From the 2022 Oscars: Details on the 2023 Ceremony’s ‘Crisis Team’

It’s been one year since the slap heard ‘round the world went down at the 2022 Oscars between Will Smith and Chris Rock. The incident became one of the most shocking moments in all of television history. After the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences faced backlash for failing to intervene during the moment, the group implemented what was dubbed as a “crisis team” for the 2023 awards ceremony. 

Keep reading to learn more about the crisis team behind the 2023 Oscars ceremony. 

What Is the 2023 Oscars Crisis Team? 

During a February 2023 interview with TIME magazine, Academy CEO Bill Kramer explained the “crisis team” and the “many plans in place” should another altercation arise at a future Oscars ceremony. 

“We’ve run many scenarios,” he explained. “So, it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.” 

Bill elaborated on the preparation, saying, “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. But these crisis plans — the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place — allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. And obviously depending on the specifics of the crisis, and let’s hope something doesn’t happen and we never have to use these, but we already have frameworks in place that we can modify.” 

Two weeks after the March 2022 ceremony, the Academy banned the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum from attending all Academy events for 10 years. However, they did not rescind his Oscar for winning Best Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in King Richard. 

Why Did Will Smith Slap Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars? 

As he took the stage to present the next category’s award, Chris made a joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s appearance. She lives with alopecia, which causes hair loss. 

“Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” the Saturday Night Live alum said, seemingly referring to her hair loss. Seconds later, Will was seen approaching Chris on stage and smacking him across the face, to which Chris exclaimed, “Wow. Will Smith just smacked the s—t out of me.” 

From his seat, Will yelled, “Get my wife’s name out your f—king mouth,” and the room fell silent as Chris presented the next award. 

One week after the incident, the Aladdin actor shared an Instagram post to apologize to Chris and the fellow Academy Awards nominees and winners. 

“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris,” Will wrote. “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.” 

What Did Chris Rock Say About the Will Smith Incident? 

Nearly one year later, the funny man addressed the slap in his Netflix comedy special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage. 

“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Chris said, before referring to Jada’s affair during her marriage to Will. “Everybody in the world called him a bitch. I tried to call the motherf—ker and give him my condolences, and he ain’t pick up for me. Everybody called that man a bitch. … And who does he hit? Me!”