Rising to fame in the 90s as the Fresh Prince, Will Smith went on to become one of film’s biggest stars. But following 2022’s now infamous ‘slapgate’, reports have suggested that many of his old friends have now distanced themselves from the Bad Boys star.

His loyal fan base also appear to have turned their backs, with just 268 fans buying Will’s album, ‘Based on a True Story’ in the UK within the first week when it was dropped in March – after it failed to even reach the top 200 in the US Billboard charts.

Music bible Rolling Stone magazine described the album, Will’s first after 20 years, as ‘clunky and sullied by the fallout of the 2022 Oscars’, which saw him shockingly slap comedian Chris Rock on stage.

Meanwhile, the fallout of the event on his personal life has also been shattering for the star, with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, 53, confirming just a year later that she and Will had been living ‘completely separate lives’ since 2016, despite remaining legally married.

However, while Will, 56, struggles to make amends for his actions, a source now reveals to Closer that the Oscar winner has one unlikely supporter on his team – legendary rapper and actress, Queen Latifah – who the insider says has been left less than-impressed with Jada.

An insider tells us, ‘Queen Latifah, who is still called ‘Dana’ by her old friends, has stood up and shown her support for Will repeatedly since he seriously damaged his reputation in the industry with ‘the slap’ in 2022.

‘It’s not fake, either – Will has known Dana since they were both just starting out, and they have a lot in common, back then and even now, as both of them are trying to prove they can still entertain global audiences well into their fifties.

‘But she has become Will’s most loyal soldier during this uncertain period. She can see that Jada has pretty much totally detached from Will and that breaks her heart.’

Will’s friendship with Queen Latifah, 55, goes back to the early 90s, when she first appeared in Season 1 of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air – the show that made Will a household name.

By that point, she was already successful in her own right after releasing her hit single, ‘Ladies First’ two years previously, but continued to star in multiple guest roles on the sitcom.

Now, at a time when Will is said to be struggling to maintain his estimated $350 million fortune as he continues to sell off part of his extensive property portfolio, Queen Latifah has publicly shown her support for Will.

In September, it was revealed that she had hired Will’s own production company to produce her biopic, which will inevitably see the pair working closely together this year.

And aside from supporting his career comeback, the source says Queen Latifah – who has been in a relationship with choreographer Eboni Nichols since 2013 – is also doing her best to help navigate Will through his emotional turmoil, too.

This new chapter in Will’s life comes after it was also revealed that Jada had moved out of the sprawling 150 acre mansion in Calabasas that she and Will had shared with their two children – Jaden, 27, and Willow, 24 – with the former Red Table Talk host now living in her own property nearby.

Now, the source tells us, ‘Will is a lot more sensitive than people realise. He may seem like he’s shaken this off but this whole situation has really taken a toll on him. He has really struggled with feeling alone, and living in that massive house by himself most of the time hasn’t helped – he gets very lonely.’

‘Jada doesn’t check in with him much anymore and it’s pretty clear she’s totally detached from Will and what he’s going through, and that breaks Dana’s heart. Don’t forget she has known them from when they first got together, so she’s seen them madly in love.

‘It’s awful to see how badly things have fallen apart and to see Jada turn her back on Will.’

And the source says the division between the former couple has sadly forced Queen Latifah into ‘taking sides’, with the ‘U.N.I.T.Y’ singer proving to be Will’s closest confidante.

The source adds, ‘Even though Dana also has a long history with Jada, it’s very clear she is fully on Will’s side. Dana’s in a tough position because she does care about Jada too, they’ve got years of history and a lot of love for each other.

‘But at the end of the day, her loyalty is to Will, and she feels like he’s getting the raw end of the deal. She sees how much he’s trying to stay positive and get back on track but Will still loves Jada, that’s the really sad part.

‘It’s disappointing to Dana that this is where things are. Dana is advising Will to take a huge step back from Jada, and from trying to please her all the time. She wants him to prioritise his own happiness.’

Not one to back down in the face of adversity, Will is also set to star in three films this year – I Am Legend II, Resistor and a remake of Trains, Planes and Automobiles – although none of them have confirmed release dates so far.

And a source recently told us how Will is determined to work through this setback.

‘Will is not a quitter. Being knocked to the bottom from the top is like fuel to him because it gives him another goal to reach,’ they revealed.

Now it seems that with Queen Latifah behind him, the future is looking brighter for Will as he emerges from the shadow of ‘slapgate’ – an incident he has since said he feels ‘deeply remorseful’ for.

The insider continues, ‘She’s rooting for Will and, more importantly, she’s providing level-headed advice, which is key for Will, because he can have his head in the clouds with all of his ambitious plans and social media antics.

‘And Will is very touched by her loyalties as he continues to rebuild his movie and music career. You have to give Dana a lot of credit for sticking by her old friend when the haters still have their knives out, and he struggles to get back to the top of the A-list.’