Will Smith 'still hates' Chris Rock and his 'smug attitude' despite apologizing for 2022 Oscars slap

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It seems the drama between Will Smith and Chris Rock, which began with the infamous Oscars slap in 2022, is far from over.

A source recently told In Touch that Smith “still hates” Rock and hasn’t forgiven him despite publicly apologizing after the incident.

The animosity appears to have deepened as Smith has allegedly found satisfaction in Rock's recent struggles, particularly a dramatic moment during the comedian's holiday set in December 2024.

Chris Rock sparks controversy at billionaire's party

Rock reportedly walked out of a performance at billionaire Anthony Pratt’s holiday party after spotting something in the audience that "upset him," according to The New York Post columnist Cindy Adams.

Witnesses revealed that Rock stormed offstage, yelling that "he wasn’t supposed to be taped, videoed, reported or whatever else wasn’t supposed to happen," following a controversial joke he made.

The joke? "Our new push will be outer space. We’ll put all the Mexicans on the rockets."

The incident sparked backlash, and according to the In Touch source, Smith was “indulging in every second of [Chris’s] misery while twisting the knife to no end.”

The source added, saying, “Will's getting the last laugh and loving it," but that he "will never forgive Chris for ruining his life, even though he’s managed to pick up the pieces in the last year or so." The source added that Smith "still hates the guy and his smug attitude."

The feud that shook the Oscars

The feud between the two stars began at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022.

While presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, comparing her to GI Jane.

The joke did not sit well with Jada, who has alopecia, or Will, who stormed the stage and slapped Rock across the face before yelling, “Keep my wife’s name out your f**king mouth.”

Though Smith won Best Actor for 'King Richard' later that evening, the slap overshadowed his victory. The fallout was severe: Smith resigned from the Academy and was banned from the Oscars for ten years.

Days after the incident, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the Academy, attendees, viewers, and the 'King Richard' team, calling his actions “unacceptable and inexcusable.”

Will Smith reflects on Oscars slap in apology but Chris Rock rejects reconciliation

In a written statement, Smith admitted that Rock's joke about Jada’s medical condition “was too much for me to bear, and I reacted emotionally.”

However, he emphasized that his behavior did not reflect “the man I want to be,” and condemned violence as “poisonous and destructive.”

By July 2022, Smith released a video apology, revealing he had reached out to Rock but received no response.

Rock later dismissed the apology, labeling it a “hostage video” and refusing to engage with Will.

According to the In Touch source, Smith believes that Rock is not the victim in this saga. “In Will’s opinion, what’s happening to Chris is karma for refusing to speak to him or accept his apology,” the source claimed.

Despite Will’s efforts to publicly atone, Rock has remained defiant, further fueling speculation about the depth of their rift.