Chris Rock ‘has no intention of reaching out’ to Will Smith after his public apology for Oscar slap in the face, source says

Chris Rock “isn’t ready to talk” to Will Smith despite his recent public apology for slapping Rock during the live broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards in March.

“Chris has no plans to contact Will,” a source told Entertainment Tonight.

Rock, who is currently on tour, thinks the timing of Smith’s apology is “more in Will’s best interest.”

“He needs the public’s forgiveness, not Chris,” the insider added.

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Smith shared a video on YouTube on Friday answering everyone’s most asked questions, including why he didn’t apologize to Rock during his acceptance speech. After Smith took the stage and slapped Rock for telling a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, he won Best Actor for his role in “King Richard.”

“I was steamed up at the time,” Smith admitted of the lack of an immediate apology to Rock. “Everything is blurry.”

The “Gemini Man” actor revealed that he reached out to Rock to talk about the incident, but claimed the comedian wasn’t ready to sit down with him. He also spent the five-minute video apologizing to Rock and others, including Rose Rock.

“I want to apologize to Chris’ mom,” Smith said. “I saw an interview that Chris’ mom did, and, you know, that was one of the things about that moment. I just didn’t realize, and, you know, I didn’t I didn’t think, but how many people were injured at that time”, explained the actor.

Will Smith, right, punches presenter Chris Rock onstage while presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
(Chris Pizzello)

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Rock’s mother, Rose, originally said, “When Will slapped Chris, he slapped all of us, but he really slapped me.”

“So I want to apologize to Chris’ mom,” Smith continued. “I want to apologize to Chris’ family. Specifically, Tony Rock [Chris’ younger brother]. You know, we had a great relationship. Tony Rock was my man. And it’s probably irreparable.”

While performing at the Fox Theater in Atlanta as part of his “Ego Death World Tour” on Friday night, Rock compared Smith to former Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who is currently in office 28 years in prison after pleading uncontested to voluntary manslaughter in 2018 following a fatal confrontation in Los Angeles in 2015.

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“Everybody’s trying to be a fucking victim,” Rock said, via People magazine. “If everyone pretends to be a victim, then no one will hear from the real victims. Even me, I get slapped by Suge Smith… I went to work the next day, I have children.”

At the height of his career in the ’90s, Knight was known for putting West Coast rap on the map with the massive hit of Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” followed by Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” in 1993. Soon after, he helped broker a deal to secure Tupac Shakur’s release from prison and his subsequent signing to the label, with his “All Eyez on Me” released in 1996.

“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” he added, words he echoed on a previous show during a recent tour with Kevin Hart on “Only headliners are allowed.”

Knight was known for his music as much as his temper and is said to have led a series of violent chords. Shakur was in Knight’s car when he was killed in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas in September 1996. A similar shooting killed Shakur’s East Coast rival The Notorious BIG in March 1997, with Knight being assumed to be the prime suspect. Knight was convicted of armed robbery and assault, and lost control of the label when it was forced into bankruptcy in 2009.

The late Tupac Shakur and Marion “Suge” Knight were pictured in 1996. Knight is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in 2018.
(Jeff Kravitz)

“I’m not a victim. Yeah, it hurts m—, mom. But, I shook that m— and went to work the next day. I’m not going to the hospital for a cut paper,” Rock reportedly told the New Jersey crowd last week, via Us Weekly.

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At the Oscars, Rock made a joke about “GI Jane” and referenced Jada’s bald head. Pinkett Smith had previously spoken about his problems with alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

A few days later, the Star “Independence Day” announced his resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, saying he had “betrayed the confidence of the Academy”.

“I have directly responded to the academy’s Notice of Disciplinary Hearing and will fully accept all consequences of my conduct,” he said.

Following his resignation, which was accepted by the Academy, Smith was banned for 10 years from attending Oscar events and shows.

Fox News’ Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.