EXCLUSIVE Why Will Smith's Anger Management Therapy Is Being Called a 'Total Failure'
Will Smith's therapy isn't actually going to plan, according to sources.
Feb. 9 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Will Smith's long attempt to repair his public image after his infamous Oscars assault is faltering, with insiders describing his anger‑management journey as "a total failure" that left the actor emotionally drained and professionally adrift, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Nearly four years after the 2022 assault on comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards, the 57‑year‑old star is still struggling to resurrect his showbiz profile after what sources say are "years" in therapy – including sessions directed at trying to force him to harness his inner demons and rage.
'The Anger Has Been Pushed Down'
Smith is said to be struggling to fix his image years after the Oscars slap.
Smith, who remains banned from the Oscars until 2032, has spent recent years in spiritual counseling while battling to develop new projects. Yet friends say his quest for calm has run aground, replaced by frustration, isolation, and a realization Hollywood will never forgive him.
"The anger has been pushed down, not mastered," said one Hollywood source. "He's done every program, every retreat, but you can feel the tension still there – it surfaces whenever he talks about what happened."
The actor's troubles recently deepened when violinist Brian King Joseph filed a sexual‑harassment lawsuit against him – allegations he denies. Smith's lawyer Allen B. Grodsky branded the claims "false, baseless, and reckless."
The case has nonetheless complicated Smith's attempts at a comeback anchored around I Am Legend 2, a sequel to his 2007 blockbuster, which he is producing with Michael B. Jordan.
A Changed Man
Four years ago, the actor slapped Chris Rock while on stage at the Academy Awards.
One production source said, "Will sees the performance of Bad Boys: Ride or Die as validation that he still connects with audiences. In his mind, an I Am Legend sequel is the project that can cement that support and re‑establish him as a serious box‑office force."
But another insider noted Jordan's growing film commitments "have slowed everything to a crawl," deepening Smith's restlessness. Behind the scenes, those close to the star describe a man transformed – and not entirely for the better.
One insider said: "The Will people remember – endlessly upbeat, quick‑witted, playful – has largely faded. In its place is someone introspective, cautious, and desperate to appear in control. The lightness that used to define Will just isn't there anymore."
A family friend said the fallout from the Rock attack "shook him to his core."
Following the slap, Smith was banned from the Oscars and his career took a hit.
They added: "Will has tried meditation, therapy, and anger‑management work, but sometimes that intensity still leaks out. It's like he can't quite forgive himself, and that makes genuine peace impossible."
The turning point, insiders insist, came amid Smith's private reflection on childhood trauma. Smith has spoken about witnessing his father's abuse toward his mother, describing the conflict of loving and resenting the same parent.
"Will feels he masked deep emotional wounds by creating an outsized, exuberant public persona," said one friend. "Therapy has peeled that armor back. The familiar smile remains, but it's now a conscious effort rather than something effortless."
Will Smith Is 'Fighting to Rebuild His Life'
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The movie star's upcoming projects have seemed to stall.
Smith's marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith, 54, continues to add strain. In 2020, she revealed on Red Table Talk an "entanglement" with singer August Alsina during a period of separation from Smith.
"The decision to expose their private life only added to the confusion," said another source. "Will always insisted it was fine, but it made everyone around him and Jada realize how fragile things had become."
Those closest to Smith stress he still believes in redemption.
"He's fighting to rebuild his life on and off screen," a longtime confidante said. "But the therapy, the introspection – none of it has given him the peace he's chasing. He's realized that what he's trying to fix isn't just his career – it's himself, and his lingering anger."
