{
  "id": 6338366,
  "title": "If the Oscars want Chris Rock back, they're going to have to nominate him",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/if-the-oscars-want-chris-rock-back-theyre-going-to-have-to-nominate",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-08T21:28:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/chris-rock-oscars-return"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the aftermath of the Academy Awards in 2018, when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, the incident left a lasting impact on the Hollywood community. Seven years later, the event remains a notable moment in the history of the Oscars. Following the assault, Smith was barred from attending Academy events for a decade, with his return only possible six years from then. However, for Chris Rock, who was the one slapped, the situation has not changed. He hasn't returned to host the Oscars, and per reports from Variety, he doesn't plan to do so unless he receives a nomination. Though he believes he won't be nominated, \"I'm not getting nominated,\" Rock asserts. \"And that's OK. We'll deal with that if it happens. Like, let's manage expectations.\" Currently, Rock is promoting his latest film, Misty Green, in which he plays a film director assisting a waning starlet. His primary focus is on the movie's success and the performance of Rosalind Eleazar. Rock expressed his desire for the incident to fade into the past, stating, \"I wish nothing would have happened.\" He added, \"I don't want to say anything that takes any attention away from [Misty Green star Rosalind Eleazar] and how good she is in this movie. It's a crazy world. We walk by homeless people,\" Rock concluded, emphasizing that his personal troubles are not the most pressing issue.",
  "summary": "Four years after the slap, Chris Rock returns with a new film, Misty Green, and a distinct lack of interest in the Academy Awards.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}