Get to Know Chris Rock: From Stand-Up Comedy to Hollywood Stardom
The life and comedy of Chris Rock
Chris Rock is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer and director who has been making audiences laugh for the past few decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential comedians of his generation and has won numerous awards for his work in television, film and stand-up comedy.
Early Life
Chris Rock was born on February 7, 1965, in Andrews, South Carolina. He was the third child of Rosalie and Julius Rock. His mother was a teacher, while his father was a newspaper deliveryman and truck driver. When Rock was a child, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
Rock attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn. He was bused (racially integrated) to schools in Brooklyn communities with a high concentration of white pupils, where he was bullied and assaulted by white kids. He dropped out of high school but eventually went on to pass his General Educational Development (GED) test. After school, he worked in the food service industry for minimum wage.
Comedy and Film Career
Chris Rock’s early years in comedy were spent performing at small comedy clubs in New York City, honing his craft and building his fan base. He also worked odd jobs to make ends meet, including as a busboy and as an orderly at a hospital. Despite the challenges he faced, Chris was determined to make a name for himself in the comedy world.
Chris caught the attention of Eddie Murphy, who offered him a role on “Beverly Hills Cop II,” his first role in film. By the 1990s, he had the eye of television producers, and was offered a role on the sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live.” This was a major breakthrough for Chris, and he quickly became a fan favorite for his characters and impressions. His time on “Saturday Night Live” helped launch his career in comedy and set the stage for his future success.
After leaving “Saturday Night Live” in 1993, Chris Rock continued to make appearances in films, including “New Jack City” (1991), “Boomerang” (1992), “Lethal Weapon 4” (1998), “I Think I Love My Wife” (2007), “Death at a Funeral” (2010), “Grown Ups” (2010), and “Spiral” (2021).
Chris has also lent his voice to several animated films, including “Osmosis Jones” (2001), “Madagascar” (2005) and its sequels and “Bee Movie” (2007).
In addition to performing, Rock also created television programs, such as the HBO show “The Chris Rock Show,” which ran from 1997 to 2000. Drawing from his experiences as a teenager, Rock produced the television program “Everybody Hates Chris” in 2005. Because of the success of the program, Rock received three Emmy nominations. The show ran up until 2009, when it was cancelled.
Rock has released several comedy albums throughout his career, some of which include:
- Born Suspect (1991)
- Roll with the New (1997)
- Bigger and Blacker (1999)
- Never Scared (2004)
- Tamborine (2018)
He also has some stand-up comedy specials, including:
- Chris Rock: Big Ass Jokes (1994)
- Chris Rock: Bring the Pain (1996)
- Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker (1999)
- Chris Rock: Never Scared (2004)
- Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger (2008)
- Chris Rock: Tamborine (2018)
Personal Life
Chris Rock married Malaak Compton-Rock in 1996. The couple had two daughters together: Lola and Zahra. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 2016 after 20 years. He admitted that the end of their marriage was a result of his infidelity and that he wasn’t a good husband to his ex-wife.
In 2016, Rock began dating actress Megalyn Echikunwoke. The couple was relatively private about their relationship but were spotted together at various events and on social media. The two later parted ways in 2020 after four years of dating.
As of 2022, Chris Rock was dating Lake Bell. The couple made a number of public appearances together over the course of a few months.
Chris Rock’s Mental Health
Chris Rock has been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health. In his 2018 Netflix special “Tamborine,” he discussed his experience with infidelity and therapy and how it has impacted his life and relationships.
In 2020, Rock also openly spoke about going to seven hours of therapy a week and about being diagnosed with a learning disorder.
The Will Smith Chris Rock Slap
As Chris Rock was presenting for Best Documentary Feature at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, actor Will Smith rushed onstage and slapped him. The slap was a reaction to Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith’s wife.
“Jada, I love you! ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ I can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, referencing her shaved head.
Will Smith walked back to his seat and yelled twice at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth!” Rock reacted briefly, then continued with his presentation. This assault, watched by millions across the world, led to Smith being banned from attending future Academy Awards shows for ten years. He also resigned from the motion picture academy and apologized for his reaction at the award show.
Rock addressed the slap a few days later during a comedy set in Boston, saying that he was still processing what happened.
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