Will Smith has faced a long and challenging road trying to recover his Hollywood reputation since the widely seen incident at the 2022 Academy Awards, when he slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage.
Industry insiders tell entertainment outlets that Smith’s efforts to regain trust and rebuild his career image have been difficult and mixed. Following the Oscars event, where he reacted to a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, the actor faced major criticism and consequences. Among the results was a 10-year ban from attending Academy Award ceremonies, a move announced by the Academy as part of disciplinary action after the 2022 slapping incident.
According to a recent entertainment report, people close to Smith say his anger management work, therapy and spiritual counselling haven’t fully resolved underlying issues, and frustration continues to linger when he speaks about the past. Some describe his approach to healing as suppressing anger rather than fully mastering it, meaning old emotions can still resurface in stressful moments.
The actor has also confronted additional public challenges. Recent legal allegations from violinist Brian King Joseph have added complexity to his comeback efforts, although Smith’s team denies those claims and calls them “false and baseless.”
Professionally, Smith hoped that the success of his 2024 film Bad Boys: Ride or Die, in which he reprised his role from the long-running action franchise, would prove he still connects with moviegoers. While that movie performed well financially — grossing over $400 million worldwide — industry observers say box office results alone have not fully erased the backlash from the Oscars controversy.
Smith’s recent years have also seen a return to music with the album Based on a True Story, his first in two decades. That project received mixed reactions from fans and critics and did not match the commercial success of his earlier work.
Despite setbacks, insiders say Smith continues to pursue new roles and opportunities, including potential major partnerships with studios. His commitment to rebuilding his career reflects a long path of professional and personal reflection
