Why Chris Rock turned down hosting the 2023 Academy Awards

Chris Rock has turned down multiple opportunities in the wake of the Oscars slap. Photo / Supplied

Chris Rock claims he turned down an offer to host the Oscars next year.

The comedian, 57, who helmed the Academy Awards in 2005 and 2016, has declined to return to host after he was slapped by Will Smith on stage at this year's awards after making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

As reported by MailOnline and other outlets, Rock was performing a stand-up comedy show in Phoenix, Arizona over the weekend when he addressed the situation.

He referenced the murder of OJ Simpson's late wife Nicola Brown Simpson, saying that the offer for him to return would be like asking her "to go back to the restaurant".

It's said he also revealed he was asked to do a Super Bowl commercial after the slap, but also turned down the offer.

An audience member urged him to "talk about" the slap, and he referenced Smith's role as Muhammad Ali in 2001's Ali.

Rock added: "He's bigger than me. The state of Nevada would not sanction a fight between me and Will Smith."

Smith struck Rock across the face less than an hour before picking up his Best Actor statuette for his role in King Richard at the Oscars in March.

Will Smith famously slapped Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars. Photo / Getty Images

Last month, he apologised and publicly contacted Rock, while claiming he had been hurt "psychologically and emotionally" by the slap.

He said: "It's all fuzzy. I will say to you, Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk.

"I hate when I let people down. So it hurts, it hurts me psychologically and emotionally to know I didn't live up to people's image and impression of me.

"And the work I'm trying to do is, I am deeply remorseful and I'm trying to be remorseful without being ashamed of myself.

"I'm human and I made a mistake, and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s***."