
*Three years after the slap heard ’round the world, things have changed, with Will Smith moving up and Chris Rock’s status seemingly moving down.
But don’t get it twisted. There’s still no love lost at all between them.
A source with knowledge of Smith and Rock mentioned the “Independence Day” star is the one coming out on top with a career resurgence. Rock, on the other hand, is living life on a decline with drama surrounding him on multiple sides, much to Smith’s chagrin.
“Will’s getting the last laugh and loving it,” the insider voiced to InTouch Weekly.
For Smith, things these days couldn’t be further from when he shocked the world at the 2022 Oscars by slapping Rock after the funnyman made an unscripted joke poking fun at Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia. Responding to the mocking, the “Summertime” rapper stormed the stage live on the air in front of viewers to give Rock a piece of his mind, shouting expletives with demands leveled at Rock to keep Jada’s name “out of his f**king mouth.”

Despite automatic backlash from those feeling he overreacted to Rock’s joke; Smith did have his share of support from those feeling he was right to defend his wife’s honor. Yet, the negative press was too much for Smith to sidestep.
As a result, Will “will never forgive Chris for ruining his life, even though he’s managed to pick up the pieces in the last year or so,” said the insider.
Success found in a return to the big screen via a reunion with Martin Lawrence for “Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the latest film in the pair’s “Bad Boys” franchise, marked the beginning of Smith’s pre-slap glory as well as his reemergence on the rap scene with new music. Not to mention an Academy Award won the same night as the slap for his performance in “King Richard.”
Still, Smith paid the price for acting out, with a 10-year ban from the Oscars and resulting resignation from the Academy. He did apologize to the organization in his acceptance yet held back on doing the same to Rock until a day later via a video he made after cooling off.
Yet for all his current achievements and efforts back on the public’s good side, the source states Smith’s issues with Rock the “Parents Just Don’t Understand” rhymer “still hates the guy and his smug attitude.”

For Rock, the opposite is plaguing him, going back to last month, December 2024, when he stormed out just minutes after taking the stage at the executive chairman of Pratt Industries, Anthony Pratt‘s winter holiday party. Rock’s seeming unwillingness to move past the slap hasn’t helped him either, as he keeps bringing up the incident at his live shows.
As InTouch points out, the “constant airing of his beef with Smith is getting petty old for many folks.
“Chris isn’t the victim here, not in Will’s opinion,” the source continued. “A lot of people would agree with Will and think what’s happening to Chris is karma for refusing to speak to Will or accept his apology.”
The referenced apology harkens back to Rock’s refusal to accept Smith’s olive branch, thinking it was forced on behalf of Will’s management team.
“F**k your hostage video,” Rock told a crowd when weighing in on Smith’s apology.

Overall, “from Chris’ end, he’s still haunted by what happened on that Oscars stage,” the source says. “He suffers from PTSD. Like Will, he’s never recovered from that slap.”
So, what say you? Should Chris Rock just let it go and quit conversing on the slap? Or is he right to keep it on people’s minds? Scroll below to weigh in.
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