While the critical reception for Will Smith's latest film, "Emancipation," has been steadily rising in the wake of the infamous Chris Rock slap, one of Smith's old pals, Tom Cruise, has been less than enthusiastic in his defense of the Oscar winner.

An insider revealed to RadarOnline.com that Smith has repeatedly reached out to Cruise to get back together and see if they can get out and cooperate on projects.

The source added that a reliable picture starring Tom Cruise would ensure Will Smith's return to the spotlight.

Cruise seems uninterested and does not respond to Smith's letters, even though Smith volunteered to travel to Longon if that would be more convenient.

It is true that the 60-year-old "Top Gun: Maverick" star feels terrible about what Smith, 54, has been through, but that does not mean he will "be stupid enough to put his neck on the line and be dragged down by association" as an insider puts it.

However, the "Emancipation" star is not the only person Cruise wants to avoid.

"Tom is still very wary of any Hollywood friendships. He likes his reclusive lifestyle in the United Kingdom," the insider revealed, adding, "He doesn't want to get sucked back into the Hollywood scene – especially by way of Will Smith. He's still kryptonite."

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The Effect of Will Smith's Chris Rock Slap

Following Smith's whack to Chris Rock's face for a joke that may have gone too far, the Oscars turned for the worse.

Others were more intrigued by what happened after that joke than the joke itself.

Specifically, the baldness caused by alopecia was the subject of the joke about Jada Smith. She reminded him of G.I. Jane, so he joked about it.

There is some debate over how insulting that joke is. However, it cannot be denied that Will Smith's slap on him infringed on Chris Rock's rights. There was an immediate change in mood.

Will Smith was denounced after the Chris Rock slap. The Oscars suspended him for ten years after the occurrence.

He faced widespread condemnation after he was shown on television physically attacking a man in front of a live audience. His life quickly descended into a pit of despair, per Animated Times.  

Even after he was kicked out of the Academy, the effects of this action continued to reverberate. Tom Cruise has broken off ties with Will Smith because of the incident.

Tom Cruise Did Not Attend the Golden Globes

Tom Cruise did not attend the 80th annual Golden Globes, aired on NBC on January 10.

"Top Gun: Maverick" was the year's biggest hit and received two nominations (Best Motion Picture, Drama, and Best Original Song), but the film's main star was snubbed for Best Actor.

This removal did not come as much of a surprise, given that Cruise was an early celebrity voice on last year's tumult surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the feuding group responsible for the Golden Globes.

In February 2021, a report exposed the HFPA's lack of Black members and history of ethically questionable judgments, among other problems.

In May, three months later, Tom Cruise gave back the three Golden Globe Awards he had previously received, said Yahoo.

After years of hosting the Golden Globes, NBC announced they would only air the 2022 ceremony once the HFPA made significant changes.

The event nonetheless took place on January 10, 2022, with the winners being announced through Twitter rather than a television broadcast, which was widely mocked.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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