An Oscars comeback isn't out of the question for Chris Rock, but he has his conditions.
The Emmy-winning actor and comedian, who was infamously slapped by Will Smith at the 2022 Academy Awards, revealed whether he would return to the awards show after the controversial incident.
While speaking to Variety about his new film, "Misty Green," Rock was asked if he had been approached about hosting the Oscars again, after previously emceeing the ceremony in 2005 and 2016.
"When people answer those questions, they're being disrespectful to the people that got the gig," Rock said in the Sept. 8 interview. "They have great hosts. Conan O'Brien is amazing. Nikki Glaser is amazing on the Golden Globes. I'm not going to say never, but my time might have passed,
honestly."
In March 2022, Rock appeared on stage at the 94th Academy Awards to present the Oscar for best documentary feature. The comic cracked a joke in his introduction about a possible "G.I. Jane" sequel, which included a reference to Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her bald head.
Pinkett Smith has previously opened up about her struggle with alopecia, an autoimmune skin disease that can cause hair loss on the scalp, face or other areas of the body, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
After Rock's remarks, Smith walked up to the stage, slapped the comedian and returned to his seat amid confusion in the crowd about whether the segment was scripted or real. Following the incident, the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences barred Smith from attending any Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years (Smith had resigned from the Academy a week before the disciplinary actions were announced).
Former late-night host Conan O'Brien is slated to host the 99th Academy Awards next March.
Chris Rock weighs Oscars return after Will Smith slap
Smith has apologized several times since his incident with Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
In a statement released the day after the Academy Awards, the "King Richard" star described his behavior at the ceremony as "unacceptable and inexcusable." A few months later, Smith made his first on-camera apology with a YouTube video titled "It's been a minute." The actor shared that he'd reached out to Rock but was told he was "not ready to talk."
Rock reflected on the emotional aftermath of the slap in his Variety interview.
"I wish nothing would have happened," said Rock, while also downplaying the severity of the incident. "It's a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There's all sorts of [stuff] going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest – it's not that important."
As for his return to the Oscars stage, Rock said receiving recognition for his work at the awards ceremony would get him to attend.
"The only way I'll go back is if I'm nominated, and I'm not getting nominated," Rock said. "And that's OK. We'll deal with that if it happens. Like, let's manage expectations."
Chris Rock gets candid on learning disorder diagnosis
Rock also spoke about navigating his health journey with nonverbal learning disorder.
The comedian was diagnosed with the condition, which he described as "a kind of ADHD-ish, Asperger-y thing," in 2020. According to the Cleveland Clinic, nonverbal learning disorder impacts how a person processes visual and spatial information. This can make certain tasks, such as complex math, using maps, interpreting body language and playing sports, more difficult.
Rock, who directs and acts in his upcoming film "Misty Green," said he's gotten to a better place with the learning disability after undergoing therapy.
"I have a level of concentration and empathy that I just did not have back then," Rock said. "I was so good at telling jokes that I didn't have to face a lot of things. My comedic gifts put me in a position where I didn't have to grow up. So, I'm better equipped to make this kind of movie now."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Rock reveals 'only way' he'd return to Oscars after Will Smith slap
