Although the 2022 Oscars (and the slap heard across the world) took place nearly five months ago, the infamous story is still unfolding right before our eyes, in real-time. Last month, Will Smith took to social media and issued a public video apology to the comedian for slapping him on national television. On Wednesday, the ceremony’s producer, Will Packer, commended Will on his apology, saying, “I love the fact that he’s being so transparent about his process. He is being very public and honest and open about his remorse.”
Packer, also known for producing hit films such as Girls Trip and Think Like A Man, continued, “I think that he’s got three decades in this business of being somebody that is the exact opposite of who he was in those few seconds, and so I’m pulling for him.”
In his apology video, Will revealed that he has reached out to Chris Rock, but to no avail, sharing, “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk, and when he is he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Will Packer may have praised Smith for his apology, but Chris Rock’s brother Tony Rock had a different reaction to the Fresh Prince’s remorseful video. “Others said I (who’s been making lots of money since 1999) was commenting in an attempt to gain notoriety. Now after being mentioned personally in the video, smart people (very few on social media) will realize I wasn’t just some dude on the outside looking in. There was a genuine friendship,” he tweeted.
Tony’s big brother Chris has yet to publicly address Smith’s apology, however, he has spoken openly about the Oscars slap during a recent live comedy show in Atlanta. Chris joked, “Everybody is trying to be a f—ing victim. If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith, I went to work the next day, I got kids. Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face.”
Chris has been booked and busy since the award show incident, including headlining a sold-out show with Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. As for Will, the slap costs him a 10-year ban from all Academy-related events.