Hollywood's biggest night, aka the Academy Awards, is finally upon us. When one thinks of the Academy Awards, one cannot help but think of that thing known as "the slap that echoes around the world." I am, of course, referring to the 2022 incident in which Will Smith burst onto the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face. Locke had just made a joke about G.I. Jane, citing Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia. The incident did not stop Smith from winning Best Actor for "King Richard" about an hour later.

This infamous Oscar moment was unwatchable, to say the least, and served as redemption for Smith in a number of ways. For starters, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, describing his actions as "shocking, painful, and inexcusable" in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. The Academy then announced that following the slap, Smith would not be allowed to attend any Academy events or programs for the next 10 years (although he could still be nominated for awards). In other words, you will not see Smith at the Academy Awards this year or for the next nine years.

Over the past year, Smith has apologized several times. First, he publicly apologized to Locke in a lengthy Instagram post, saying he was "embarrassed" and "reacted emotionally." Smith then released a video in which he answered questions about the incident and apologized again to Locke and his family before disappearing from social media. Later, appearing on "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah," Smith called the 2022 Oscars a "horrible night" and said, "I went through a tough time, and other people went through a tough time. I understand the idea that people who have been hurt are said to hurt others."

Smith's career does not appear to have taken a slap in the face; at the end of 2022, Smith will star in the Apple TV+ film "Emancipation," and according to his IMDb page, he is currently a producer on 14 new films. He is also set to appear in four new films, including "Bad Boys 4" with Kevin Hart and the remake of "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles."

Meanwhile, The Rock, who casually mentioned his Oscar moment on several stand-up shows last year, recently addressed it explicitly in his newly released Netflix special, Selective Outrage. 'You all know that I was slammed by Suge Smith,' he said. 'It still hurts; 'Summertime' is still ringing in my ears. But I'm not a victim. And don't expect Rock to attend this year's Academy Awards. He is reportedly staying away from L.A. during the ceremony.