Will Smith might be returning to the social media scene sooner than expected, and fans are rooting for him despite the Oscars fiasco involving Chris Rock.
You may recall that the reputable actor slapped Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards for joking about his wife’s medical condition. This has resulted in Smith facing public criticism ever since. While several believe the slap may have ruined his reputation, that seems highly unlikely given the number of people that can’t wait for him to start pouring out his contents again.
Will Smith’s Fans Show Support For His Possible Return To Social Media
In a new Instagram update, Smith gave fans a tease of a possible return to social media with an amusing video implying what would happen as he tried to make such a decision. The clip showed a monkey poking a gorilla sitting on a log with its back turned. The gorilla initially did not react to the nudges as it feigned disinterest.
However, the gorilla eventually pounced on the monkey, possibly referring to the condemnation Smith would get if he fully returned. This did not deter fans as the post got over a million likes, and they flooded the comments with supportive words showing how much they missed the Academy Awards winner and looked forward to his comeback.
Among the tons of supporters were fellow celebrities, including Justin Bieber and Charlie Mack. Bieber wrote, “we miss u,” while Mack urged Smith to “just do it,” citing Nike’s slogan. Another fan called the movie legend a “king,” and at the same time, an excited follower penned, “comeeeeee backkkkkkkk [red heart emoji]!!!”
One other supporter expressed love to Smith after stating that he was good with another fan welcoming him back, alongside laughing emojis. Despite the drama linked to the 53-year-old performer, his fans still loved and missed him, which one follower expressed, and another agreed, adding multiple love emojis. A fan then penned:
“We will welcome you back, man! We’ve missed you! Everyone goes through shit. You’re human, just like the rest of us! COME BACK, WILL!”
Several others had the same opinion, including one follower who urged Smith to return, advising him to turn off his post’s comments until further notice for peace of mind. Around the same time, another fan who found the video post hilarious wrote that the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star was still loved, no matter.
The Oscars drama continues to make headlines, and The Blast reported that Smith has worked on mending his image and reputation. Even with the high-ranking recognition Smith has in the entertainment industry, his standing was significantly affected by the slap and has been the central subject on social media.
Not only did fans criticize his actions, but he was also banned from the Academy for ten years even though he had already resigned. At the time of the incident, he won an award for his performance in “King Richard” and gave an appreciation speech apologizing to fans for his conduct. Although he made no apology to Rock then, he recently apologized.
The “Bad Boys” actor has struggled ever since to manage the situation given his outstanding career, however, it seems more damage than imagined had already been done.
The “King Richard” Actor Gets Backing From Oscars Producer After Oscars Debacle
Regardless of the backlash Smith received following the Oscars drama, he still had supportive people who stood up for him, including Oscars’ producer Will Packer. The Blast shared that Packer recently discussed the four-time Grammy winner’s public apology with People Magazine, applauding his candidness.
He was taken with Smith’s transparency about his “process” and voiced so, adding that the “Men in Black” actor was “public and honest and open about his remorse.” The 48-year-old producer also believed Smith would pull through in his future career steps despite the scandal attached to his name.
In his words, “I think that he’s got three decades in this business of being somebody that is the exact opposite of who he was in those few seconds, and so I’m pulling for him.” Speaking of Smith’s past apology, the outlet noted that back in July, he addressed the Oscars incident with a remorseful statement admitting his “unacceptable” behavior and looking to make amends with Rock and his family.