Will Smith Traveled To India For 'Spiritual Purposes' -- But Still Hasn’t Personally Apologized To Chris Rock!

Will Will Smith ever make amends with Chris Rock?

The actor has been punished by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his shocking display of violence during the Oscars ceremony by being banned from the event for the next ten years. He accepted the verdict gracefully enough, and released written statements of apology to the Academy and to Chris, among others. Since then, he’s kept a relatively low profile.

Related: Jada Pinkett Smith Teases Emotional Red Table Talk About The Slap

On Saturday, he was spotted for the first time after arriving to a private airport in Mumbai, India, where he was photographed by paparazzi and posed for pictures with a fan. According to and source for People, the King Richard star traveled to the country for “spiritual purposes, to practice yoga and meditation.”

The trip is purportedly part of the pledge he made when resigning from the Academy, in which he promised he was “committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.” But Page Six claimed that Hollywood insiders are “rolling their eyes” at the 53-year-old’s international escape.

A source told the outlet:

“Will’s ‘spiritual journey’ to India for yoga and meditation seems cynical and ridiculous, given that he hasn’t apologized personally to the one person he assaulted in front of millions. … No amount of Namastes will make up for that.”

The Fresh Prince’s lack of apology was confirmed by Chris’s mother, who recently shared:

“I feel really bad that [Will] never apologized. His people wrote up a piece and said ‘I apologize to Chris Rock,’ but to see something like that, it’s personal. You reach out.”

Instead of reaching out privately, the Summertime artist addressed the comedian in a statement released to Instagram, writing:

“I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

Related: Chris Says He Won’t Talk About The Oscars Slap Until He Gets ‘Paid’

He also included the Madagascar star in the laundry list of wronged parties included in his resignation from the Academy, admitting:

“The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film.”

Perhaps Will’s spiritual journey to India is what he needs to help him reach out and mend fences with Chris…? One thing’s for sure, the story of The Slap ain’t over yet.

[Image via NBC/CBS/AppleTV+/YouTube]