‘Remorseful’: Will Smith ‘tried unsuccessfully to make amends’ with Chris Rock after Oscars slap

Rock addressed Will Smith's infamous Oscars slap in his live-streamed Netflix special. Photos / AP

Will Smith still hopes to repair his relationship with Chris Rock, a close source revealed to People.

It’s been a year since the infamous slap at the 94th Academy Awards. Now, Rock has addressed Smith’s public assault in his live-streamed Netflix special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Saturday, affirming to his audience that he “is not a victim”.

An insider revealed that Smith has “felt terrible for so long” about slapping Rock at the awards ceremony. “He’s tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris”.

“But beyond that, family is important to him and [Smith] leaned on them” following the spectacle. The source claims, “It all has helped him look inside and mature. He is better but still remorseful.”

“Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels that he has become a better person,” the source added.

Rock closed his comedy special, which was filmed at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore and was Netflix’s first-ever live broadcast, by drawing attention to the Oscar’s slap, slamming Smith’s marriage and then naming his comedy show after the Oscars debacle.

Will Smith hits presenter Chris Rock on stage at last year's Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles. Photo / AP

However, the comedian’s harsh jokes about Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith in the Netflix special may have been a step too far, pushing the rift further than needed.

“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Rock claimed at his stand-up gig. Commenting on the Oscars slap, the comedian said: “Everybody that really knows knows I had nothing to do with that s***. I didn’t have any ‘entanglements.’ "

Rock’s dig was referring to a moment back in July 2020 when Jada Pinkett Smith admitted to having an entanglement with singer August Alsina while she and her husband were on a break years ago. At the time, the talk show host explained that she and the Men in Black star were able to fix their relationship, revealing that “We have really gotten to that new place of unconditional love.”

Married since 1997, the couple discussed the “entanglement” on an episode of Pinkett Smith’s Emmy-winning show Red Table Talk.

Rock said in the stand-up comedy show that “everybody in the world” called Smith a “bitch” following the “entanglement” revelation, adding that he attempted to reach out to the actor but was not met with a response.

The comedian then proceeded to call Will a “b****” repeatedly. He then jested: “Everybody. And who’s he hit? Me, a n***** he knows he can beat. That is some b****-a** s***.”