The star famously slapped Rock after he made a joke about his wife at the 2022 Oscars.
Will Smith has had the continued support of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. A year after the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star slapped Chris Rock at the 94th annual Academy Awards, a source tells ET, the couple has been on a journey that has made them closer than ever.
"Will and Jada have been on a journey of healing over the last year and have put a lot of effort into their relationship," the source says. "Will took time off to focus on his mental state. The incident truly brought Will and Jada closer together. He took accountability for his actions, and Jada stood by him throughout this hard time in their lives."
Smith, 54, and Pinkett, 51, have been married for 25 years.
Last year, Smith took the stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Since then, Smith has apologized publicly for the incident, which got him banned from the ceremony for a decade. A source who knows both Smith and Rock tells ET that there has still never been an apology from Will directly to Chris for the assault.
Rock has also used the incident to allow people to laugh at his pain. Over the weekend, Rock took the stage in Baltimore, Maryland, for his Selective Outrage Netflix special. During his set, he took jabs at the Smiths.
According to the source, the A-list couple expected it.
"They have heard Chris' jokes on his Netflix special and they definitely expected them," the source says. "They knew he would incorporate the incident into his show somehow."
According to another source, Rock still hasn't accepted the Oscar-winning actor's apology.
"Chris doesn’t have interest in talking to Will," the second source tells ET. "He believes silence is the best response in this case. He doesn’t believe Will’s public apology is sincere or genuine."
Rock has said all that he wants to say about he incident. Following his show, a source told ET that the Saturday Night Live alum is ready to take some time off, and put the slap behind him.
"He said everything he wanted to say," the source said. "It was funny, self-deprecating, and thought-provoking. Now, "Chris is ready to move on."
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