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It’s one of those moments few can forget: actor Will Smith stepping onto the stage at the world's biggest entertainment awards ceremony and slapping comedian Chris Rock over a joke he'd made at wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s expense.
After apologising in a statement, the 53-year-old actor has kept his word and is now seeking help for what he called his "inexcusable behaviour".
A source close to the King Richard star says “he's been going to therapy after the Oscars incident”.
Will slapped Chris after he made a joke about Jada's bald head. Jada has in the past struggled with the hair loss condition alopecia, but it's unclear whether Chris knew this when he compared her to Demi Moore's character in the 1997 film GI Jane.
Two days after the Oscars fiasco, Will released a statement on his Instagram apologising to Chris as well as the Academy.
“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Will said in the statement.
“I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I'm embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There's no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
Now it seems he's on a spiritual journey to find peace and positivity.
The disgraced actor was recently spotted in public for the first time since the infamous Oscars slap when he arrived in India. Those close to him say he's in the country to focus on yoga and meditation.
But not everyone is convinced it'll help. Critics say the trip is pointless because Will hasn't personally apologised to Chris. “No amount of Namastes will make up for that,” a source says.
Meanwhile, Jada, who's returned to her Red Table Talk show for its fifth season, says her family is doing some “deep healing”.
Though Chris has touched on the slap at a few comedy shows on his current stand-up tour, he doesn't really want to be drawn into the matter. He did, however, crack a joke about Will when another comedian made headlines for being attacked on stage.
Earlier this week, Dave Chappelle was finishing a set during the Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival at the Hollywood Bowl when a man in the audience carrying a replica gun with a switchblade charged into him. Luckily, Dave came out unscathed.
"Was that Will Smith?" Chris joked.
The suspect, Isaiah Lee, was arrested and is facing charges relating to battery and possession of a weapon, among other things.
“This alleged attack has got to have consequences,” says Los Angeles attorney Mike Feuer, who's involved in the case.
SOURCES: PINKVILLA.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, ETONLINE.COM, NEWS24.COM, DEADLINE.COM, EDITION.CNN.COM
