It's been four years since Will Smith's on-stage altercation with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, and according to insiders, the actor was elated to have his name brought up positively during Michael B. Jordan's acceptance speech at the March 15 ceremony.
"Will was absolutely thrilled to hear his name mentioned during Michael's Oscar speech," a film source close to Smith, 57, tells PEOPLE. "Having someone so talented—who had just won this incredible Oscar—mention him at that moment was absolutely fantastic for him."
After Jordan, 39, won the award for Best Actor for his role in Sinners, he took the opportunity to shout out previous Black Oscar winners. "I stand here because of the people that came before me: Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith," he said, calling them "those giants, those great giants."
The source added that Jordan's shout-out "made Will feel great on its own, but even more so to be included with the other top actors mentioned." Another insider agrees that being mentioned in the speech was especially poignant for Smith, who is developing I Am Legend 2 with Jordan. "Will and Michael have immense respect for each other's talent," the insider says. Indeed, Smith also shouted out Jordan on Instagram the day after his win, writing, "CONGRATS, Beloved. Makin' History!"
The source notes that Smith has "moved beyond" the incident from 2022, when he slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Though Smith publicly apologized to Rock for his "unacceptable" actions, he was banned from the Oscars ceremony for 10 years.
Smith, who has released films including 2022's Emancipation and 2024's Bad Boys: Ride or Die after the Oscars drama, "has been building back," the source says. "He is so talented and in demand." The insider adds, "Life goes on, and so do good films with award-winning actors."
