Kevin Hart says Will Smith is in ‘a better space’ after Oscars slap: ‘Will is apologetic’

Kevin Hart said that Will Smith is apologetic and “in a better space” now after he infamously slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars back in March.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of his new animated movie DC League of Super-Pets on Wednesday (13 July), Hart said: “Will is apologetic, you know, he’s in a better space, of course, than what he was after [the Oscars].

“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.”

The comedian added: “I can get only hope that the two of them find a way to find some solace in that and move past it…

“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 hit Rock after the comedian and Oscar host made a joke at the expense of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head (Pinkett Smith lives with alopecia).

Smith apologised for the incident and, after resigning as a member of the Academy, had his Oscar privileges revoked for 10 years after an official ruling by the awards body.

Fellow actor Martin Lawrence, too, was optimistic about Smith’s future following the altercation.

In a recent interview, Lawrence shook off rumours that a fourth Bad Boys film had been parked after the Oscars incident; “We got one more at least,” he told Ebony magazine.