In a twinkling Hollywood night filled with laughter and cheers, an unexpected thunderstorm rolled in, its lightning crackling between Will Smith and Chris Rock. At the heart of this storm was a seemingly ordinary gesture from Jada Pinkett Smith, a slight rolling of the eyes, which many believe nudged Will Smith into taking a stand for his beloved wife against a joke made by Chris Rock.
As Chris Rock aimed a joke at Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, a ripple of laughter spread across the crowd, but not everyone found it amusing. Jada’s rolling eyes mirrored the clouds gathering in the starry sky, and before anyone knew it, Will Smith’s hand had met Chris Rock’s face in a clap louder than the applause.
The scene quickly painted the picture of a tale as old as time, where a woman is blamed for the actions of a man. The headlines the next morning were filled with stories portraying Jada as the puppeteer, and Will as the puppet, reacting to her silent, eye-rolling command. Some narratives began to spin the tale of a flawless superstar, Will Smith, who was driven to the edge by one simple gesture from his wife, whom some labeled as flawed.
The idea that a husband stood up for his wife isn’t new, but the way the story unfolded led to a wildfire of discussions around the world. Jada found herself amidst a swirl of judgments, some viewing her as an adulterous wife who had now, with a mere roll of her eyes, driven her husband to act out in public.