Chris Rock has made his position on returning to the Oscars surprisingly simple: if he ever goes back, he wants to have a reason to be there as a nominee.
While promoting his new film Misty Green ahead of its Toronto International Film Festival appearance, the comedian and filmmaker was asked about his relationship with the Academy Awards and whether he could see himself returning to the ceremony.
His answer came with a dose of realism.
Rock said he is not currently expecting to receive an Oscar nomination, but added that a nomination would be the condition that could bring him back.
Chris Rock Says He Would Return as a Nominee
Rock was asked by Variety whether he had been approached about hosting the Oscars again following his previous appearances at the ceremony.
Rather than criticising the hosts who came after him, Rock praised the comedians who have taken on the role.
He pointed to Conan O’Brien and Nikki Glaser, saying that criticising the choice of hosts would be disrespectful to people who had already earned the opportunity.
Rock also suggested that his own time as an Oscars host may have passed.
But when the conversation shifted from hosting to attending the ceremony, he offered a much more definitive answer.
“I’m not getting nominated,” Rock said, while explaining that the only circumstance under which he would return would be if he were nominated himself.
He also acknowledged that such a scenario is unlikely and joked about managing expectations.
For now, then, Rock does not appear to be planning a routine return to Hollywood’s biggest awards night.
The 2022 Oscars Incident Still Shapes the Conversation
Any discussion about Rock and the Academy Awards inevitably brings audiences back to March 2022, when Will Smith walked onto the Oscars stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The incident became one of the most widely discussed moments in Oscars history and overshadowed much of that year’s ceremony.
Rock later addressed the confrontation extensively in his 2023 Netflix special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage.
Rather than treating the incident as the defining event of his career, Rock used the special to discuss the experience through his own comedic perspective.
He also rejected the idea of portraying himself publicly as a victim.
Rock Says He Has Forgiven Will Smith
Despite the continuing public interest in the incident, Rock has indicated that he has moved toward forgiveness.
At an Oscars after-party in 2026, Rock was asked about whether he had finally moved past what happened.
His response focused on forgiveness and the importance of letting go.
“True love starts at forgiveness,” he said.
Rock also argued that refusing to forgive can leave people trapped in their anger, adding that people sometimes need to forgive themselves as well.
His comments suggest that, whatever his feelings about the incident itself, he does not want it to dictate his relationship with the Oscars forever.
He Has Not Completely Ruled Out Hosting Again
Although Rock’s latest comments suggest that he is not actively seeking another hosting opportunity, he has previously left the possibility open.
Asked in 2026 whether he would consider hosting the ceremony again, he did not give an absolute no.
Instead, Rock indicated that the future remains unpredictable.
That position is consistent with his latest comments: he is not campaigning to return to the Oscars, but he is also not treating the door as permanently closed.
The distinction is important.
Rock appears more interested in letting circumstances determine what happens next rather than actively pursuing another turn as host.
Misty Green Gives Rock a New Creative Focus
Rock’s latest Oscars comments came while he was promoting Misty Green, a film that represents another significant step in his career behind the camera.
The movie marks his fourth time directing a feature and centres on a woman whose life is disrupted after she slaps a colleague.
The subject naturally created an opening for journalists to ask Rock about the very different but famously public confrontation he experienced at the 2022 Oscars.
Rather than making the Oscars incident the sole focus of his current work, Rock is using the film to continue developing his career as a filmmaker.
Why the Oscars Still Matter to Rock’s Story
Rock’s connection with the Academy Awards goes beyond the 2022 controversy.
He has hosted the ceremony multiple times and remains one of the most recognisable comedians to have stood on the Oscars stage.
His comments about Conan O’Brien and Nikki Glaser also indicate that he continues to follow the ceremony and respects the comedians chosen to lead it.
But his latest position also suggests a change in priorities.
Instead of returning simply for another hosting assignment, Rock says he would rather have a professional achievement that gives him a personal reason to attend.
An Oscar nomination would represent exactly that.
Rock Also Looks Back at His Saturday Night Live Years
During his Variety interview, Rock also reflected on another important period of his career: his time on Saturday Night Live.
He described his years on the NBC sketch series as a memorable period defined less by fame than by the friendships he formed.
Rock recalled sharing an office with Chris Farley, Adam Sandler and David Spade, describing the period as almost comparable to the college experience he never had.
His memories of that era underline how much of Rock’s career has been shaped by the people around him.
From Saturday Night Live to stand-up and filmmaking, his career has repeatedly moved between comedy formats rather than staying confined to one medium.
A Career That Keeps Moving Forward
At 61, Rock continues to work across stand-up, acting, directing and writing.
The controversy surrounding the 2022 Oscars remains part of his public story, but his recent comments suggest that he is more interested in what comes next.
His new film provides another creative outlet, while his comments about the Academy Awards show that he is comfortable allowing his relationship with the ceremony to evolve.
There is also a certain irony in his position.
The Oscars once provided one of the most dramatic moments of Rock’s career without him receiving a nomination or award.
Now, if he has his way, the only thing that would bring him back could be the possibility of finally being there because his own work earned a place in the competition.
Will Chris Rock Return to the Oscars?
For now, there is no indication that Chris Rock is planning another Oscars hosting appearance.
He has praised the comedians who have taken over the role and suggested that his time as host may have passed.
But he has not completely closed the door on the Academy Awards.
His condition is straightforward: an Oscar nomination would bring him back.
Until that happens, Rock appears content to focus on filmmaking, comedy and the next chapter of his career.
And with Misty Green offering another opportunity to see him behind the camera, his attention is firmly on creating new work rather than reliving one of Hollywood’s most infamous nights.
