Will Smith Reportedly Feels ‘Less Ashamed’ After Making Video Apology to Chris Rock

Will Smith reportedly sees his apology to Chris Rock as his step back into the good graces of the world. According to Entertainment Tonight, a source claims Smith is feeling “less ashamed” about his now-infamous Oscars slap and is feeling “much more confident and much more positive and less depressed.”

“He was in very low spirits prior to making his public apology,” the source tells ET. “He feels less ashamed now and more comfortable being out and about in public again because he has and continues to do the work that needs to be done for himself, his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues, his fans, The Academy, Chris and Chris’ family.”

The source makes sure to note that Smith knows he still has “a lot of making up to do and that it will all take time.” Still, Smith has returned to social media and is reportedly putting in work to address his actions and heal.

“Will was so regretful of the situation and the situation he put his family in with all of the backlash, especially publicly. He wanted to acknowledge his wrongdoings and apologize and take accountability. He feels he answered some questions, said the things that needed to be said, and took ownership of his actions,” the source continues. “Will wanted to make sure he set a good example for his kids and was adamant about handling the situation responsibly. He has taken this very seriously and his loved ones commend him.”

Smith is reportedly focusing on reinforcing that “violence is never the answer” and that he was wrong at the moment with Rock and he regrets the decision. But he’s also making it clear that “people make mistakes” and “we are all human” despite our backgrounds, professions, or the behind-the-scenes aspects of our lives.

Smith has revealed that he tried to reach out to Rock but was told that the comedian was not ready to speak and would reach out when the time comes. That said, Rock reportedly has no interest in speaking to Smith and has moved on himself, addressing the incident by making clear that he’s no victim. So it’ll be interesting to see how both manage to bring the chapter to a close if they ever can.