Martin Lawrence Says Chris Rock Didn't Deserve To Be Slapped By Will Smith

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Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys For Life" - Red Carpet
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Will Smith (L) and Martin Lawrence arrive at the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys For Life" at TCL Chinese Theatre on January 14, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Martin isn't choosing sides because both Will and Chris are like "brothers."

The world has been revisiting Will Smith and Chris Rock's infamous Oscars slap thanks to the former's new film. Smith is in the thick of heavily promoting his movie Emancipation, and during the press run, he addressed slapping Rock on the Academy Awards stage. Throughout the year, several of Smith's peers have stepped forward with their takes on the incident, including Martin Lawrence, who had more to say.

Smith and Lawrence have been good friends for decades, even starring in their blockbuster Bad Boys franchise. Lawrence also knows Rock, and during a recent interview, he shared his thoughts on the situation. "Well, it hurt me to see that happen," said Lawrence. "Because I know both of them. Both of them are my brothers."

Read More: Martin Lawrence Suggests Will Smith Oscars Slap Won’t Keep Another “Bad Boys” From Happening

He continued, "And when it happened, I text both of them after it happened, just to see how they were doing and everything. But, it was just an unfortunate situation."

"You know, Will wasn't in the right space that night and Chris Rock didn't deserve that. So, it's such an unfortunate situation," he added. "It's like seeing your brothers fightin' and you don't want to see your brothers fightin'. Chris Rock didn't deserve that at all."

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TOPSHOT - US actor Will Smith (R) slaps US actor Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Read More: Will Smith Says “Emancipation” Has Helped Him Overcome Oscars Slap

Earlier this year, there were rumors that Bad Boys 4 could be on the horizon, but it was suggested that the Oscars moment curved production hopes. However, in a cover feature for Ebony, the Lawrence refuted claims that the film wouldn't happen.

Meanwhile, Rock hasn't sat down for an interview to share his side of the Oscars slap story. Instead, the comedian was said to have cracked jokes about the moment during his live shows. It is unclear if he will speak more on the event in the future.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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