Will Smith’s co-star defends Oscars slap, calls Chris Rock an ‘a–hole’

Will Smith’s “King Richard” co-star, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, understands why the actor publicly slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars several years ago.

“I know that he wanted to protect his wife,” the actress said of the infamous moment, which saw Smith lash out over the comedian’s joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s closely cropped hair at the 2022 event.

“I stand by that,” Ellis-Taylor added, during a recent episode of the Daily Beast’s “Obsessed” podcast. “I stand with him for that.”

The onstage slap came just before the “Men in Black” star nabbed Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams, opposite onscreen wife Ellis-Taylor as Oracene “Brandi” Price — who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

“I think that, you know, this idea that First Amendment rights should protect everybody? I don’t think it should necessarily protect a–holes,” Ellis-Taylor explained. “I don’t. I don’t. I really don’t, especially if you’re causing harm.”

The actress made it clear that she’s disturbed by First Amendment protections being used to justify defending the Confederate flag.

“I know blanket First Amendment valorization,” she said. “I don’t buy into that. I just don’t. To say the least, it needs to be nuanced. You can’t use it as an excuse to harm someone.”

As far as her experience working with the “Bad Boys” actor, Ellis-Taylor said he was a “caretaker” for the “King Richard” cast.

“Will Smith is the most caretaking actor that I’ve ever worked with,” she said during the interview, noting that he “took care of everybody” during filming.

And, she added, she’d also seen his protective side. “He just would not allow anybody to be treated poorly in his presence.”

“He would just not allow it. And I cannot tell you how rare that is in this job. I will always have a great deal of affection and care for him because he acted that way.”

Reps for Smith and Rock did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment on Thursday.

Smith’s slap wasn’t without consequences. Following the televised incident, he was banned from the Academy Awards — and all Academy events — for a decade.

A day after the March 27, 2022 incident, Smith took to social media to apologize directly to Rock, writing, “I was out of line and I was wrong.”

“I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” he continued. “There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”