Will Smith's beef with Chris Rock may have had its origin in 2016 Oscars

Oscars 2022 will always be remembered for Will Smith's beef with comedian Chris Rock. The awards ceremony took a dramatic turn when Smith walked up on stage and slapped Rock for joking about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's baldness, intimating that she was getting ready to star in 'G.I. Jane 2' a movie where Demi Moore shaved her head bald. Pinkett Smith has been open about her struggles with alopecia a condition that causes hair loss.

Smith was then seen looking irate back at his seat and yelling at Rock twice to "keep my wife's name out of your f------ mouth."

What just happened! Will Smith punches Chris Rock over joke on wife Jada

Turns out that Rock had made fun of Pinkett Smith before in 2016 Oscars and the Smith have reportedly had a problem with the comedian for years now.

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In 2016, Rock was the host of that year's Oscars. During his opening monologue, he had made jokes about Smith and his wife for boycotting the event over the lack of black nominees.

The couple had spearheaded a campaign of boycotting the awards that year after the Academy refused to acknowledge performances of black actors across the categories.

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"But what happened this year? People went mad. Spike Lee went mad… Jada Pinkett Smith went mad. Will Smith went mad. Everyone went mad," Rock said during his monologue. " Jada said she's not coming, protesting. Isn't she on a TV show? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna's panties — I wasn't invited."

"That's not an invitation I would turn down," Rock continued. "But I understand. I understand you're mad – Jada's mad her man Will was not nominated for 'Concussion.'" Rock said, referring to Smith's 2015 football film. "I get it. Tell the truth. I get it. It's not fair that Will was this good and didn't get nominated. It's also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for 'Wild Wild West.'"

On Sunday night, Smith went on to pick up his first Oscar for his performance in 'King Richard' and gave an emotional speech while accepting the award apologising to the academy and his fellow nominees but chose not to mention Rock.