That Nicole Kidman Viral Oscars Gasp Was Not About Will Smith Slapping Chris Rock

Nicole Kidman is no stranger to memes, but the context of her latest viral moment needs to be corrected for the record.

On March 22, the 2022 Academy Awards supplied the good people of the internet with many memorable moments, including a new photo of the best actress nominee looking completely shocked. Frankly, it may be even more meme-able than that AMC commercial.

But what could warrant this Lucile Ball-esque response? Many believed it had something to do with the night’s biggest controversy: Just minutes before Will Smith was awarded the Oscar for best actor, the King Richard star slapped Chris Rock across the face for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. He then told the comedian to “keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”

However, though viewers linked the image to the evening’s most shocking moment, it’s always good to double-check your facts. According to The Huffington Post, a Reuters photographer also took a photo of Kidman’s gasp and confirmed it happened before the ceremony had even started. By the time the altercation had occurred, Kidman was wearing her husband Keith Urban’s jacket draped around her shoulders.