Will Smith’s Oscars drama has been a ‘nightmare’ for his family-spills source

The repercussions of Will Smith's smack of Chris Rock onstage during the 2022 Oscars has reportedly been a "nightmare" for his family.

 “It’s been a nightmare for everyone,” a source close to the family exclusively tells Us Weekly.

“Will knows the road to redemption is going to be a long and painful one, and there’s a part of him that’s grown to accept he’ll never be able to fully repair the damage that was caused.”

Smith’s family — including wife Jada Pinkett Smith, sons Tre, 29, and Jaden, 23, and daughter Willow, 21 — have avoided explicitly commenting on the situation in order to avoid attracting even more attention.

“They know the best course of action is to stay tight-lipped,” the insider said. “The only healer is time.”

The King Richard star smacked comedian Chris Rock on the 94th Academy Awards stage on March 27, after he cracked a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith appearing in G.I. Jane 2, referring to her shaved head.

The Philadelphia native apologized for his behavior while tearfully accepting the best actor Oscar for his work in King Richard. 

“I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people,” an emotional Smith said at the time. “I want to apologize to the academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. … But love will make you do crazy things.”

The following day, the Gettin’ Jiggy With It rapper also publicly apologized to Rock for his “unacceptable and inexcusable” reaction at the awards.