Chris Rock has never been one to hold back, but this time, he felt the occasion called for it.
Months before he was scheduled to set foot on the 2016 Oscars stage as the year's host, the 51-year-old comedian sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for an interview as the Oscars issue cover star.
Unbeknownst to all, about a month later—and before the interview was complete—the annual awards show became the center of a racial diversity uproar when all 20 nominees announced in the four main acting categories were white for the second year in a row.
A slew of prominent Hollywood stars, including Jada Pinkett Smith, Lupita Nyong'o and George Clooney, chimed in to publicly voice their opinions on the emerging controversy, calling for reform in a notoriously limited landscape.
Spike Lee, Smith and husband Will Smith decided not to attend altogether. In response to the growing dismay, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs later issued a series of historical changes to the organization's procedures in order to diversify the pool of voting members.
While all of this was unfolding, the typically vocal Rock remained silent aside from one brief tweet: "The #Oscars. The White BET Awards." According to the Hollywood Reporter, he cancelled the rest of his press scheduled until the big day and has kept quiet since.
Though he's not likely to hold anything back when it comes time for his opening monologue on Sunday, judging by his previous comments to the magazine, the extra pressure wasn't exactly what the actor signed up for at first.
"I told my agent I wanted to present because it's like, what's easier and better than presenting? You come in, do something really funny and get out of there," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "But it just seemed like a good time. I hadn't [hosted] in a while, and I'm in between projects...and let's not get it twisted: I'm only here because Ellen [DeGeneres] said no."
With everything now riding on Rock's tuxedo coattails, we have to say it—Chris, you may have jinxed yourself.