People he can rely on. Will Smith faced a backlash after hitting Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, but he’s been building these friendships for years.
Denzel Washington immediately comforted Smith after the “Ali” star slammed Rock for joking about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss at the awards ceremony on March 27. (She suffers from alopecia). star. “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth,” the actor shouted, returning to his seat.
Washington was one of the first to speak to Smith after the incident, and the scandal-ridden star even mentioned the legendary star during his acceptance speech for Best Actor later that night.
“I know that in order to do what we do, you have to be able to tolerate insults and make people talk crazy about you,” said Smith, accepting an Oscar for his role in the film “King Richard.” “In this business, you have to be able to have people disrespecting you, and you have to smile, and you have to pretend that everything is fine.”
He continued, “Denzel told me a few minutes ago, he said: “At the best moment, be careful. That’s when the devil will come for you.” It’s like I want to be a vessel for love.”
A week later, on April 2, Washington addressed the controversy during a panel at the T. D. Jakes Leadership Summit. “There is a saying, when the devil ignores you, then you realize that you are doing something wrong,” said the actor of the Tragedy of Macbeth. “The devil says, ‘Oh no, leave him alone, he’s my favorite.’ Conversely, when the devil attacks you, it’s probably because he’s trying to do something right. And for some reason, the devil possessed him that night.
Washington added that it could not ignore what had just happened. “There was no way I could have sat in my seat,” he explained. “It’s just not who I am. …Fortunately, there were people there, not just me, but others, [like] Tyler Perry, came with me right away.”
Perry also has a long history with Smith. The “Men in Black” actor took him on his international press tour for the film “Seven Pounds” in 2008 to show him how to sell the film abroad. When Madea’s creator opened Tyler Perry Studios ten years later, the sound stage at the 330-acre Atlanta studio was officially named after Smith.
Scroll down to look inside Smith’s inner circle:
Denzel Washington
“Over the years, I’ve always called Denzel,” Smith told GQ in September 2021. — He is a real sage. I was probably 48 or so, and I called Denzel. He said, “Listen. You have to think of it as a funky 40. All the 40s are funky.” He said, “But just wait until you hit the damn 50s,” Smith told me. “He said: “Just bear with your 40s.” I stopped and said, “Freaky 40 and freaking 50.” And so it happened. It just became the fucking 50s, and I gave myself the freedom to do whatever I wanted.”
Tyler Perry
When Smith’s memoir, “Will,” was released in November 2021, Perry shared a photo of the book via Instagram. “I can’t wait to read every word. After all these years, this man still inspires me on all levels!! Thank you, @willsmith, for this glimpse of the truth,” he captioned the picture.
Jordyn Woods
The model was pictured at the post-Oscar celebration with star Hitch, who is a longtime family friend. At the beginning of Woods’ March 2019 appearance on Red Table Talk, Pinkett Smith and Woods called Smith to ask for a few words of wisdom and revealed that Smith had worked with her father.
“There are a lot of things about our relationship with the [Woods] family,” Smith said. “Jordyn’s father worked on Fresh Prince before she was born, and I know how hard it was for you and your family when he left. And I watched you grow up and become a woman, and I had a deep feeling that we would be here. once. And I want to tell you that the world is attacking. It just happens. You will never be able to get around the whole world attacking you, but I want you to know that you are supported. I understood you.
Woods added, “You knew me before I knew myself.”
DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ (aka Jeffrey Allen Towns) and Smith were known as the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Although their last album was released in 1993, they are still close. In 2019, Smith celebrated his birthday by joining Townes on stage in Budapest to perform their greatest hits.
“Me and DJ Jazzy Jeff started out in Philadelphia over 30 years ago,” Smith told the audience. “There has never been a time in my life when I didn’t look away and I had a great friend, and it’s so important who your friends are. And DJ Jazzy Jeff has been one of the best friends I’ve ever had in this world for more than half of my life.”
