Will Smith's Former Co-Stars Reveal How The Actor Is Doing Today
In the months since Will Smith's shocking Oscars slap, the normally affable actor has been surprisingly quiet. Although it seems his peers and the public have only just stopped analyzing the incident, Smith has kept a low profile since the scandal. After several canceled projects and a decade-long ban from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he has reportedly traveled to India and entered therapy to move on. While wife Jada Pinkett Smith addressed the incident on her show "Red Table Talk," Smith himself didn't appear to discuss it and it seems he's choosing to wait out the backlash. Even Chris Rock is sick of talking about it–at least for free.
As of late June, Smith's most recent Instagram post is dated March 28, the day after the 2022 Academy Awards. In the post, the "I Am Legend" actor apologized to Rock, the Academy, the producers, and the attendees, as well as the "King Richard" cast and crew and the Williams family, who are the basis for the film. Smith took home the Oscar for Best Actor that night for his role as Richard Williams, who he compared himself to in his acceptance speech to much backlash. Now, Smith's "King Richard" co-stars are revealing how Smith is holding up, months after the infamous night.
Will Smith's King Richard co-stars say he's doing well
At the 2022 BET Awards red carpet on June 26, Saniyya Sidney and Mikayla Bartholomew discussed Will Smith's current well-being. Both actors appeared alongside the Oscar winner in "King Richard," with Sidney playing tennis legend Venus Williams and Bartholomew playing Williams' half-sister Tunde Price. Bartholomew told ET, "Every time I talk to him, he always says everything is in divine splendor, you know, so he's good. It's always good to chat with him."
Divine splendor sounds pretty good. In April, the "Men in Black" actor was seen in India, with a source telling People the trip was "for spiritual purposes, to practice yoga and meditation." While Smith has yet to resurface in public after his recent soul-searching, he still took home the BET Award for Best Actor, which wasn't presented during the show. Two of his fellow nominees, Adrian Holmes and Jabari Banks, were recognized for their performances in "Bel-Air," the Peacock reboot of Smith's big break, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Based on a fictionalized version of Smith, he's credited as an executive producer of the new show.
Despite giving an update on Smith, neither actor mentioned anything about the slap itself. In addition to Smith's award for Best Actor, "King Richard" also took home the BET Award for Best Movie. While award season is winding down, it should be interesting to see if Smith's divine splendor is enough to get back in people's good graces.