Will Smith Received Support From An Unlikely Source After Oscars Drama With Chris Rock

Will Smith has opened up about the surprising supportive phone call he received after his infamous Oscars slap. Back in March, film enthusiasts tuned into the 94th Academy Awards as some of the biggest stars in Hollywood congregates together in what's usually a peaceful evening. However, toward the end of the ceremony, Smith and Chris Rock made headlines when the "I Am Legend" star slapped Rock for joking about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. In the months following the unfortunate incident, Smith issued an array of apologies to Rock. "Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk," the "Hitch" star said in a video message from July.

While the controversial actor remains remorseful, Smith has faced massive pushback from his industry peers, including Amy Schumer, Alec Baldwin, Mila Kunis, and Steve Harvey, per Us Weekly. However, there are a few celebrities who have continued to showcase their support for the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actor, including one surprising public figure.

Floyd Mayweather checked in on Will Smith after the Oscars

While Will Smith and his infamous Oscars slap have continued to face criticism from the entertainment industry, a few celebrities have demonstrated their support for the "Aladdin" actor over the last few months. During an October screening for his upcoming Apple TV+ film, "Emancipation," Smith revealed that boxer Floyd Mayweather called him non-stop following the controversial incident, per TMZ. "I want to say something also about Floyd. So, we've met each other, we've seen each other around, but we weren't, like, friends," he explained to the crowd. "And the day after the Oscars, for 10 days, he called me every day."

The "Men in Black" star went on to say that their calls consisted of the acclaimed athlete asking him if he was okay. "That was every day he called me... and it's like, that's my dude forever right there," he added. Back in March, Mayweather was one of the few celebrities to congratulate Smith on his Academy Award win on social media. Taking to Instagram at the time, the acclaimed athlete wrote, "Congratulations on your Oscar," alongside a photo of the two together.