NEWSWill Smith 'Will Never Forgive' Chris Rock 'for Ruining His Life' After 2022 Oscars Slap: 'He Still Hates the Guy'
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
Jan. 26 2025, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Will Smith still harbors resentment against Chris Rock after the infamous slap incident at the 2022 Oscars, according to a source.
The Men in Black star went viral when he abruptly got up from his seat and smacked the stand-up comic across the face after he made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's alopecia.
Will Smith 'still hates' Chris Rock, according to a source.
He went on to win an Oscar for his performance in King Richard that night, but his career was severely impacted by his behavior. Days later, it was announced Smith would be banned from attending any Academy event — including the Academy Awards — for 10 years. A few of his upcoming films were put on hold amid the professional and personal backlash he received.
Smith's career has since begun to flow again, but a source spilled the actor will "never forgive Chris for ruining his life, even though he's managed to pick up the pieces in the last year or so."
"He still hates the guy and his smug attitude," the source added.
Will Smith was banned from Academy events for 10 years after the slap.
Meanwhile, Rock has repeatedly brought up the incident in interviews and in his stand-up comedy routines over the past three years. He also chose not to accept Smith's apology which he gave in a video released after the 2022 Oscars.
"From Chris’ end, he’s still haunted by what happened on that Oscars stage," the source explained. "He suffers from PTSD. Like Will, he’s never recovered from that slap."
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Chris Rock is reportedly 'still haunted' by the incident, per a source.
However, Smith reportedly believes that Rock "isn't the victim here."
"A lot of people would agree with Will and think what’s happening to Chris is karma for refusing to speak to Will or accept his apology," the source concluded, referring to recent hiccups in Rock's own career.
Will Smith's career has gradually picked back up after the initial fallout from the slap.
As OK! previously reported, Rock "stormed out" of billionaire Anthony Pratt's holiday party in the middle of a comedy set last December. The comedian was said to have performed for a "very short" time until he "saw something" in the audience that distracted him.
"Whatever he saw — or thought he saw — upset him," an attendee said at the time. "Like he went momentarily ape and shouted something like he wasn't supposed to be taped, videoed, reported or whatever else wasn't supposed to happen ... He kept b----ing loudly and, without a second's hesitation, stormed out — never to return."
