Chris Rock reveals the one condition yhat could bring him back to the Oscars after Will Smith slap

Chris Rock has revealed the one condition that could see him return to the Oscars, more than four years after Will Smith slapped him onstage during the 2022 Academy Awards.

The comedian, 61, addressed the possibility of returning to Hollywood's biggest awards ceremony while speaking to Variety about his upcoming film Misty Green, which he wrote, directed and stars in.

Rock has not returned to the Oscars since the infamous incident, and he suggested that his days of hosting the ceremony may be behind him. He has hosted the Academy Awards twice, in 2005 and 2016.

“When people answer those questions, they're being disrespectful to the people that got the gig,” Rock said when asked about potentially hosting the Oscars again. He praised recent hosts Conan O'Brien and Nikki Glaser before adding that his “time might have passed”.

However, Rock did reveal one circumstance that could convince him to attend the ceremony again. Asked whether he would consider returning if Misty Green earned him an Oscar nomination, he joked that he was not expecting that to happen.

“I’m not getting nominated. The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated, and I’m not getting nominated,” Rock said. “And that’s okay. We’ll deal with that if it happens. Like, let’s manage expectations.”

Rock also briefly reflected on the 2022 Oscars incident, saying he wished it had never happened. He declined to dwell on the moment, explaining that he did not want the controversy surrounding the slap to distract from Misty Green or the performance of its star, Rosalind Eleazar.

“I wish nothing would have happened,” Rock said. He added that there are much bigger issues in the world and that him “having a bad day” was not the most important thing.

Smith slapped Rock during the 94th Academy Awards after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head while presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature. Pinkett Smith has previously spoken about living with alopecia, which contributed to her decision to shave her head.

The moment shocked audiences watching around the world, with Smith returning to his seat after striking Rock and later shouting at the comedian to keep his wife's name out of his mouth. Smith went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard later that evening.

Smith subsequently apologised publicly to Rock, calling his behaviour unacceptable. The Academy later banned Smith from attending Academy-sanctioned events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.

Rock has addressed the incident in his stand-up comedy in the years since, but his latest comments suggest he has little interest in allowing the controversy to dominate conversations about his current work.

The comedian is currently promoting Misty Green, his first directorial feature since 2014's Top Five. The film stars Eleazar as an actress attempting to revive her career, alongside a cast that includes Anna Kendrick, Topher Grace, Daniel Kaluuya and Adam Driver.

Interestingly, Misty Green contains a storyline involving a physical altercation between actors. When Rock was asked whether the scene was connected to his own experience with Smith, he said he had never considered the similarity before it was pointed out to him.

Misty Green is scheduled to be released in cinemas on October 9, 2026, following screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival.

For now, Rock appears content to leave the Oscars behind unless his own work gives him a reason to return. While he does not expect an Academy nomination, he has made clear that an Oscar nod would be the one scenario that could bring him back to the ceremony.