Will Smith Was Name-Dropped At The Oscars 2026 Despite Still Being Banned

The Oscars 2026 were a star-studded affair yet again, with attendees like Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio among those mentioned by presenters or host Conan O’Brien. And while Will Smith was not present for the 98th Academy Awards, as he had no participation in any of the nominated films, his name still came up.

The reality for Smith is that he wouldn’t have been able to attend the Oscars even if he were involved in any of this year’s nominated features or shorts. The globally recognized actor famously slapped Chris Rock in 2022 after the host joked about the appearance of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Smith slapping Rock sent shockwaves through the Oscars and the industry. Studios distanced themselves from working with the former, delaying projects with him or canceling them altogether. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences even launched a review of the incident, leading to the decision to ban Smith from the Oscars. But a 2026 Oscars winner still brought him up.

Will Smith Was Name-Dropped By Michel B. Jordan At The Oscars

The mention of Will Smith at the Oscars came courtesy of Michael B. Jordan. He was among the five nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Sinners star won his first Academy Award for the performance. It was during Jordan’s acceptance speech that he decided to say Smith’s name.

A section of Jordan’s speech talked about how he was only here because of the great works done by other Black people who came before him. He proceeded to call out the small group of Black actors to win an Oscar for a lead role: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Smith. A group Jordan is now part of. You can watch the full acceptance speech below:

Smith belongs to this group thanks to the same Oscars that got him banned. Just 40 minutes after slapping Rock, he was the winner of Best Actor for his performance in King Richard. Smith was allowed to keep his Oscar win because he resigned from the Academy on April 1, 2022, prior to the official ban happening on April 8, 2022.

The ban does not specifically prohibit anyone from talking about Smith during the Oscars. The 2023 Oscars refrained from saying his name directly, but Jimmy Kimmel made multiple references to the slap. And with Jordan deciding to highlight those who achieved this before him, it would have been more noticeable if he hadn’t said Smith’s name.

How Much Longer Will Smith Is Banned From The Oscars

Name-drops like this are the closest Smith will come to being at an Oscars ceremony for quite some time. The Academy decided to ban the actor for 10 years following the slap. Since that occurred in 2022, he’s missed the last four ceremonies. As long as something doesn’t change, Smith still has six years left on his Oscars ban.

The first year that he’s eligible to be back will be in 2033 for the 105th Academy Awards. However, this does not mean that the actor cannot be recognized by his peers during this time. Smith is still able to be nominated for and even win an Oscar during this time. He just will not be able to be at the ceremony, barring an exception being made, should a nomination and possible win come during the next several years.

However, the slap could keep Smith away from the Oscars for longer than his ban lasts. It’s unlikely he’d go to one of the ceremonies in a year when he or one of his movies is not up for an award. And after what occurred last time he was at the Oscars, voters could have a harder time voting for him to even be nominated.

That could keep Smith focused on blockbusters for the years ahead rather than make attempts to win his second Oscar.