Will Smith's ex Sheree Zampino recalls the moment he slapped Chris Rock: ‘I froze’

Will Smith’s ex-wife Sheree Zampino recalled the shocking moment when her former husband smacked Chris Rock during the Oscars 2022 over a joke he cracked on Jada Pinkett Smith.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 54, told Us Weekly that she “couldn’t make sense” of the King Richard actor’s headline making move.

“It was one of those moments where I froze,” Zampino told the outlet. “The first thing you do is you try to make sense of it in the [moment].”

“And when it doesn’t make sense in the moment … we didn’t even really have time. I didn’t even deal with it,” she added.

Zampino, who was married to Smith, 53, for three years from 1992 to 1995, went on to say that even though she “couldn’t make sense of it” later on, she thinks the reunion of Smith and Rock would be a “powerful” moment.

“When Chris and Will can come together and heal in a public way and extend forgiveness to one another?” Zampino said. “Do you know how many people that’s gonna help and set free? So, I see the opportunity in it.”

Zampino celebrated her former lover’s Academy Award win when she congratulated the star on Instagram at the time.

“Congratulations @willsmith – you are more than deserving!” Zampino, who  shares son Trey with the actor, wrote.

Smith finally apologized to the comedian few days back for slapping him during the prestigious ceremony in a video released online.

“I reached out to Chris, and the message that came back is he’s not ready to talk, but when he is, he will reach out,” Smith could be heard saying in the clip.

“I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk,” he added.

At one point in the clip, the actor also said, “I’m human, and I made a mistake, and I’m trying not to think of myself as a piece of (expletive).”