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Comedian Tony Rock made a startling admission during a recent interview about his brother, Chris Rock, offering him a role in one of his movies and then ghosting him.
Best known for his role as Dirk Black on the Will Smith-created show “All of Us,” and later as Uncle Ryan on his brother’s show “Everybody Hates Chris,” the 50-year-old entertainer has had a long and successful stand-up comedy career, which makes it even more perplexing why he’s never appeared in any of his Chris’ blockbuster movies.
“How is it that Chris Rock is your brother and I don’t see you in no Chris Rock sh—t?” fellow comic Aries Spears asked during the Oct. 25 episode of Tony’s “Live From The Green Room” podcast.
Chris Rock’s younger brother Tony Rock worked on Will Smith’s show, “All of Us.” (Photos by Chris Polk/FilmMagic; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Tony explained that his brother is a “businessman when it comes to his movies and TV stuff.” Therefore Chris chose Martin Lawrence to play his brother in 2010’s “Death at a Funeral: Comedy on Life Support” because he was “bigger” than Tony.
“But him and Martin push the needle more,” Tony explained, noting that he understood the optics at the time. But the one movie snub that was most devastating was 2014’s Top 5.”
“That one that f—d me up,” he revealed when asked if he was angry about it, “And I never told anybody this.”
Chris wrote, directed, and starred in the 2014 rom-com drama “Top 5,” which grossed $25 million worldwide. His younger sibling Tony was supposed to be in the film as well after offering him the role Tony claims he never asked for.
“People never know how close you really are,” he said, noting he had only asked his brother for five favors in his life and got told, “No,” each time.
At the time of the “Top 5” snafu, Tony was on tour performing at the Comedy Cellar in New York City, and his brother was in the audience.
“He’s at the table with Colin [Quinn] and all of the guys, and he goes, ‘Hey, I got a movie. I’ll put you in it,” recalled Tony, saying he was fully prepared to audition for a part. Chris reassured him, saying, ‘No, you good, you good.’”
“I was shooting in New York too, and I’m like, bet, summertime in New York. … I’m going to be home shooting a movie with my brother for the summer. I’m beyond excited; it don’t get better than this,” he reminisced, adding that he planned to pause his comedy tour to shoot the movie.
Unfortunately, no one thought to fill him in on the details until it was too late.
“I started getting phone calls, like, ‘Hey, I’m on set. Where you at? We started shooting today,’” the “Living Biblically” actor said, adding that he was next contacted more than one month into production. “I get a f—g phone call, ‘Yo, you at the wrap party? We’re here.’”
“Yo, bro, that s–t crushed me,” Tony shared. “Look, I’ve never seen the movie ‘Top 5.’ I shouldn’t have to call. You said to your brother, ‘I’m going to put you in a movie, I should just get a phone call.”
Many fans are siding with Tony’s younger brother on this one once a clip from the April 2024 interview was shared on Instagram. One user wrote, “Honestly, if your brother is an icon and yall are in the same industry PUT HIM ON!” “Not cool, Chris. Not cool at all,” wrote another on X.
Not cool Chris. Not cool at all pic.twitter.com/jl2hwo7VIB
— Jeroslyn JoVonn (@JeroslynDiva08) October 25, 2024
Another said, “What’s funny is Will Smith casted Tony Rock in his tv show, his most notable role. Meanwhile Chris Rock ain’t put his brother in nothing. What a slap in the face.”
But others are critical of Tony for airing their family’s dirty laundry, “Keep family business FAMILY BUSINESS,” chided an Instagram user.
In the public eye, the bond between the brothers seemed tight. Tony even stood by his brother in the aftermath of the infamous slap when Will Smith smacked Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars after making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head.
During the live broadcast, Smith got out of his seat, walked up to the stage and slapped the comedian across the face. He returned to his seat, where he yelled out, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–ing mouth.”
For his actions, the “Emancipation” star was issued a 10-year ban from attending all events, tainting his first ever Best Actor Academy Award for his role in “King Richard.”
Rock went on doing comedy shows and other hosting gigs, while Smith’s career was nearly hanging in the balance until the recent promotion and success of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” The fourth film in the popular franchise grossed $404,425,227 worldwide.
Tony initially called the incident “foul” and slammed reports that Smith had contacted Rock to make amends. But he claimed Will and Chris once had a “genuine friendship.”
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