Jada Pinkett Smith hopes Chris Rock and Will Smith can "reconcile" following the Smith resigned from the Academy shortly before that decision was made.
Many prominent Hollywood figures have reacted to the incident publically, including Michael Bay, Zoë Kravitz, and Jim Carrey. However, much of the interest lies in how the three central figures, Pinkett Smith, Smith, and Rock, have responded in the aftermath. Smith offered an apology to Rock soon after the ceremony, saying in part that he was "out of line." Meanwhile, Rock hasn't said very much about what happened but has indicated he'll talk more about it in the future. Pinkett Smith first addressed the slap only two days after it, sharing "This is a season for healing and I'm here for it." She later emphasized the theme of healing again, saying "Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focused on deep healing." However, Pinkett Smith now offers a more concrete reaction to the slap.
In a new episode of her series Red Table Talk (via E!), Pinkett Smith focuses on alopecia, talking with some affected by the condition. At the top of the episode, she addresses the slap directly, sharing her hope for Smith and Rock:
Now, about Oscars night: My deepest hope is that these two intelligent capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile. With the state of the world today, we need them 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.
While Pinkett Smith's newest response to the slap incident is quite vague, it's still the most concrete statement she's made publically. Pinkett Smith made a point to mention the Oscars by name and directly reference Rock. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from her response is that Smith and Rock seemingly haven't connected and discussed what happened yet. Otherwise, Pinkett Smith likely wouldn't have shared her hope for reconciliation. As of now, the status of Rock and Smith's relationship is unknown. It's unclear if Smith has reached out to Rock in any way or intends to if he hasn't yet.
Still, it's worth ing that the incident is still quite fresh. There have been so many updates and responses to it that it's easy to forget the Oscars ceremony only took place in late March. Many things about the slap remain a mystery, including how it will affect Smith's career in the long term and how exactly Rock is feeling about the actor and Hollywood's response to the moment. Hopefully, more will be revealed in the coming months.
Source: Red Table Talk (via E!)
