Chris Rock has reportedly yet to receive a personal, direct apology from Will Smith after the “Emancipation” star infamously slapped him at the 2022 Oscars, ultimately banning him from attending the awards show for 10 years.
Although Smith, 54, has addressed the incident twice on social media in two public apologies — one on Instagram a day after the awards show and one roughly four months later in a video apology — Rock feels that they “meant nothing.”
It appears his bitterness towards Smith, as showcased in his Netflix live stand-up special, which sparked controversy for reigniting the scandal when it premiered on Saturday, could have been avoided had Smith, his former friend, simply said “I am sorry.”
“Chris never got a one-on-one private apology from Will, only the public one which really meant nothing,” a source close to the 58-year-old comedian told the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, a source close to Smith recently spoke with People, telling the publication that the actor has “tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris,” despite Rock’s source saying that those efforts were short of actually calling the comedian in person.
Nonetheless, the insider insisted that Rock’s decision to revisit the violent outburst in his Netflix special, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage”, was more so about getting “it all out” rather than seeking revenge.
“Chris wanted to get this out once and for all and be done with it. This was very cathartic to him,” the source said.
And by getting it all out, Rock didn’t hold hold back, bringing up Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s 2020 affair with her son Jaden’s 30-year-old friend, musician August Alsini.
During the live-streamed event, Rock said Will had misdirected anger that stemmed from “his wife f**king her son’s friend.”
READ MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith Insiders Believe Chris Rock Has Been ‘Obsessed With Her’ For Almost 30 Years
His special also received criticism for intentionally airing one week before the 2023 Oscars on March 12. However, the insider clapped back at claims, telling Daily Mail that “Netflix decided when to run this, not Chris.”
Elsewhere during his stand-up, Rock attacked Meghan Markle, calling her “dumb” for not realizing ahead of time that the royal family are the “OGs of racism.” The sensitive topic caused social media users to lash out at the comedian, accusing him of being racist, to which sources also shut down the claims.
“Chris is not racist at all. Nothing could be further from the truth,” his inner circle told the outlet.
“Chris is a Black man making jokes about other Black people from a Black person’s perspective. He has nothing but love for Black people – and all people.”
