Too Late to Apologize: Source Says Chris Rock ‘Doesn’t Need to Talk’ to Will Smith

Academy Award winner Will Smith, 53, posted an on-camera apology to Chris Rock Friday, addressing his infamous slap of the comedian during the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony.

However, Rock has apparently “moved on” from the debacle, according to People.

“Chris doesn’t need to talk. This is clearly something that bothers Will more than Chris,” an insider said to the outlet. “Will needs to deal with his issues. Chris is fine.”

Another industry source shared with People that it is a positive sign that the comedian is poking fun at the incident during his stand-up routines.

“The fact that he is making jokes about it already is a good thing,” the source remarked. “That means he is assessing it. But the stress of the slap and the aftermath has not taken over his life. Quite the opposite.”

Smith admitted he reached out to Rock, but the comedian was “not ready to talk,” according to People.

During his comedy show at Fox Theatre, Rock did not acknowledge Smith’s apology but would not allow the public to see him as a victim in the scenario.

“Everybody is trying to be a f—ing victim,” Rock said. “If everybody claims to be a victim, then nobody will hear the real victims. Even me getting smacked by Suge Smith…I went to work the next day, I got kids.”

Rock’s shady quip of calling Smith “Suge Smith,” is in reference to the jailed Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight.

“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Rock said during his Ego Death World Tour, People reported.

Rock’s brother, comedian Tony Rock, on the Top Billin’ with Bill Bellamy podcast, said Smith slapping his brother was a culmination of many issues, according to XXL.

“I think that [Oscar slap] was the accumulation of him being slapped on other levels,” he explained. “He said it himself, he always hated the ‘soft moniker.’ He’s soft. Jada won’t let Tupac die. It’s always something about Tupac and his daughter [Willow Smith] brought up Tupac. And I’m not bringing up family stuff that people don’t know… this is stuff that everybody knows.”

Rock will appear in the film Amsterdam this fall with Christian Bale and Margot Robbie.

The Academy banned Smith from attending its ceremonies for the next 10 years, according to Vanity Fair.