Actor Kevin Hart provided an update on how his close friend and fellow actor Will Smith is doing after Smith's Oscars controversy, telling Entertainment Tonight that Smith is in a "better space."
At the March 27 ceremony, Will walked onto the stage and assaulted host Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about the closely cropped head of Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, a condition that can lead to hair loss.
In an apology days later, Will said he "reacted emotionally." He subsequently resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending ceremonies for the next 10 years, but since then Smith has been working on himself, Hart told Entertainment Tonight.
"Will is apologetic, you know," Hart said. "He's in a better space, of course, than what he was after. People are human, and as humans sometimes we make mistakes. So it's not about talking about the past, it's about acknowledging the present and doing your best to move forward."
Hart added that he hoped Will and Rock could make amends.
"I only hope that the two of them find a way to find some solace in that and move past it. I just like good energy. I love to see people be the best," Hart said.
"I still love him; I still love Chris, and, you know, you can't judge a person by one thing," Hart added. "Ultimately, life goes on, and people grow, so give him the opportunity to do so."
Last month Jada addressed the Oscars altercation, saying during an episode of "Red Table Talk" that her husband and Rock needed to reconcile their differences.
"My deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile," she said. "The state of the world today, we need 'em both, and we all actually need one another more than ever.
"Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that's keep figuring out this thing called life together. Thank you for listening."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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