John Salley, Will Smith’s co-star in Bad Boys 4, believes that the Oscar feud between Smith and Chris Rock was actually beneficial for Smith’s career. Salley suggested that the incident provided Smith with newfound freedom and opportunities.
Smith’s altercation with Rock at the 2022 Oscars, where he slapped the comedian in response to a comment about Jada Pinkett Smith, led to significant consequences, including a 10-year ban from the Academy. Despite the fallout, Smith won the Best Actor award for his role in “King Richard,” though the victory was overshadowed by the incident.
According to Salley, the aftermath of the feud allowed Smith to travel and take a break from the scrutiny and pressures of Hollywood. Smith reportedly found this time to be restorative and beneficial for gaining perspective on his career and life.
“After Will did his smack, Will got to travel, Will got to step outside of all of this stuff. When he’s back, he said, ‘best rest he’s ever gotten, best time he got to sit back and look at things,’” said the former player.
Despite the controversy and potential damage to his public image, Smith continued working, and he is set to star in the upcoming Bad Boys 4 film. This indicates that despite the challenges he faced, Smith has not let the incident derail his career entirely.
