Fellow Black Actor Supports The New-And-Improved Will Smith

Kevin Hart gave an update on his close friend Will Smith nearly four months after the infamous Oscars slap.

Hart opened up about Smith during the premiere of his new animated movie “DC League of Super-Pets” in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“Will is apologetic, you know, he’s in a better space, of course, than what he was after,” he said on the red carpet. “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 said that he hopes his two friends can “move past” the “slap” that happened while Rock was presenting an award.

“I can get only hope that the two of them find a way to find some solace in that and move past it,” he continued. “I just like good energy. I love to see people be the best.”

Hart added: “I still love him, I still love Chris, and, you know, you can’t judge a person by one thing. Ultimately, life goes on and people grow, so give him the opportunity to do so.”

Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, addressed the moment on an episode of “Red Table Talk” in June. At that time, she pushed for Rock and her husband to “reconcile.”

“Now about Oscar night, 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 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 let’s keep figuring out this thing called life together. Thank you for listening.”

The “Men In Black” star received backlash on March 27 after he slapped Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s bald head.

After Smith’s attack, he returned to his seat and shouted at Rock to “get my wife’s name out your f—ing mouth.” When Smith took the stage again less than an hour later to accept his Oscar, he tearfully apologized to the Academy but notably made no mention of Rock.

Smith was banned from attending any Academy Award events for the next 10 years following the onstage incident. The punishment came after the actor resigned from the academy.

Before the resignation and punishment, Smith publicly apologized to Rock via Instagram.