Hollywood actress Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, best known for her role alongside Will Smith in the 2021 biopic 'King Richard', has publicly defended Smith's now-infamous slap of comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. Speaking on the 'Obsessed' podcast, Ellis-Taylor said she empathises with Smith's impulse to shield his wife from public ridicule.

What Ellis-Taylor Said

In the podcast interview, Ellis-Taylor — who played Oracene Price, the on-screen mother of Venus and Serena Williams — was candid about her support for Smith. 'I know that he wanted to protect his wife. I stand by that. I stand with him for that,' she said.

She also pushed back on the idea that free speech protections are absolute, drawing on her upbringing in Mississippi where, she noted, First Amendment arguments have historically been invoked to defend the Confederate flag. 'I don't think it should necessarily protect assholes. I don't. I really don't, especially if you're causing harm,' she said. 'You can't use it as an excuse to harm someone.'

What Happened at the 2022 Oscars

The incident unfolded live on global television during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony. Rock made a joke referencing Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head — she has been open about her alopecia diagnosis — prompting Smith to walk on stage and slap Rock. Returning to his seat, Smith shouted, 'Keep my wife's name out your f** mouth.'

Smith subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Actor that same evening for his performance in 'King Richard'. However, the act of violence triggered a formal response from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which handed Smith a 10-year ban from all Academy-hosted events. His film 'Emancipation' was also reportedly delayed in the aftermath.

Ellis-Taylor on Smith's Character on Set

Beyond the slap itself, Ellis-Taylor offered a broader character assessment of Smith, describing him as someone who consistently refused to allow poor treatment of others in his presence. 'He just would not allow anybody to be treated poorly in his presence. He would just not allow it. And I cannot tell you how rare that is in this job. I will always have a great deal of affection and care for him because he acted that way,' she said.

The Wider Fallout

The slap remains one of the most debated moments in recent Hollywood history, reigniting conversations about celebrity accountability, the limits of free speech, and the culture of public humiliation in entertainment. Ellis-Taylor's comments add a notable voice to those who have, at least partially, sided with Smith — a position that remains a minority in mainstream industry discourse. Whether Smith's decade-long ban will be revisited before its expiry remains an open question.