Jada Pinkett Smith 'stood by' Will Smith during 'hard time' after Chris Rock slap

Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith have grown "closer" after he slapped Chris Rock at 2022 Academy Awards.

An insider close to the couple told Entertainment Tonight that the scandal “truly” brought the Emancipation star and the Red Table Talk host together.

"Will and Jada have been on a journey of healing over the last year and have put a lot of effort into their relationship," the source revealed.

"Will took time off to focus on his mental state. The incident truly brought Will and Jada closer together. He took accountability for his actions, and Jada stood by him throughout this hard time in their lives."

Rock took the opportunity of performing live for a Netflix Special titled Chris Rock: Selective Outrage to open up about the headline making incident a year after it happened.

As per the source, Smith and his wife expected that Rock would talk about it publically. "They have heard Chris' jokes on his Netflix special and they definitely expected them," the insider shared.

"They knew he would incorporate the incident into his show somehow,” the source added.

As for Rock, he has no intentions of accepting Smith’s apology. To note, an insider has claimed that the King Richard actor has not even said sorry to the comedian in person.

"Chris doesn’t have interest in talking to Will," the insider said. "He believes silence is the best response in this case. He doesn’t believe Will’s public apology is sincere or genuine."