Chris Rock Recalls Awkward Jude Law Run-In After Oscars Joke.
Chris Rock hasn't always made the most inventive jokes. More than 20 years after the Madagascar actor first hosted the Oscars in 2005, he disclosed which celebrity was particularly displeased by his onstage jokes, at least as reported to his audience.
"I think I went a little too hard on Jude Law," in an interview aired on September 8, Rock, 61, acknowledged this to Variety. "We're fine now. But I remember bumping into him early after that, and he was definitely not having it."
He added, recalling the uncomfortable encounter with his pals at the Chateau Marmont, "I was at the Chateau with Courtney Love, and Courtney was growling, 'Get the f--k out of here.'"
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Love and Law's representatives have been contacted by news organizations for comment, but they have not yet responded.
Law, who had been nominated for Best Actor for Cold Mountain the previous year, was at the pinnacle of his career at the time of Rock's monolog at the 77th annual Academy Awards. Six films, including Alfie and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, had debuted in 2004.
"You want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law?" Rock made fun of it. "Wait. It's not the same thing, OK? Who is Jude Law? Why is he in every movie I have seen in the last four years? He's in everything. Even the movies he's not acting in. If you look at the credits, he made cupcakes or something."
"He's in everything. He's gay, he's straight, he's American, he's British," he added. "Next year, he's playing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a movie. If you can't get a star, wait. If you want Russell Crowe and all you can get is Colin Farrell, wait. It's not the same thing."
Later in the evening, Sean Penn defended his All the King's Men co-star while giving Hilary Swank the Best Actress award for Million-Dollar Baby, despite the audience's laughter.
"Forgive my compromised sense of humor," he went on, "but I did want to answer our host's question about who Jude Law is. He's one of our finest actors."
Law also offered his opinions on the joke made by the Everybody Hates Chris alum.
"At first I laughed, because I didn't think he knew who I was," in September 2006, he informed The New York Times. "Then I got angry as his remarks, I felt, became more personal. My friends were livid. I was moved when Sean came to my defense.”
"As a celebrity, I know I'm fair game for a lot of things that I don't like," the now-53-year-old added, "but Rock crossed the line when he made his point and got his laugh, then seemingly wouldn't stop. It's very unfortunate that I had five or six films come out at the same time. However, I had no control over that."
If Rock hosted again, like he did in 2022 when Will Smith slapped him onstage, the Holiday actor even gave the Academy sharp advise.
"The proof's in the pudding," the outlet was informed by Law. "If you can't get Billy Crystal, then wait."
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