Will Smith revealed that none other than former pro boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who apparently wasn’t even a close friend prior to the incident, swooped in to help him after the Oscars slap in March.
Smith shared the news while speaking to a crowd at a private screening of his upcoming movie “Emancipation” at The London hotel, TMZ reported Friday. He opened up about the camaraderie he experienced when Mayweather reached out to support him in the aftermath of the Oscars slap, according to a video obtained by the outlet.
In the video, Smith said Mayweather phoned him every single day for 10 days after the awards ceremony. Mayweather apparently gave Smith encouraging words and expressed his gratitude for the newfound friendship between the two men. Mayweather was in the crowd to hear the compliments, according to the video.
“I want to say something also about Floyd,” Smith said in the video. He went on to express he didn’t have any personal history with Mayweather prior to the Oscars, so he was surprised to have such a champion in his corner.
“So, we’ve met each other, we’ve seen each other around, but we weren’t like, friends,” Smith said. (RELATED: ‘People Forget Who Will Smith Is’: Dave Chappelle Has A Rather Surprising Take On The Oscars Slap)
Smith then opened up and shared some of Mayweather’s encouraging words and sentiments.
“And, the day after the Oscars, for 10 days he called me every day,” Smith added. “And he was like, ‘Hey, you know you the champ, right? You good? You know you the champ, right? I want you to hear my voice say it,” Smith said about Mayweather.
“That was every day he called me, and it’s like, that’s my dude forever right there,” Smith said as he gestured toward Mayweather in the crowd.
Smith crossed the stage at the 2022 Oscars and slapped Chris Rock in the face moments after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s lack of hair.