Kerry Katona has shed light on her surprising friendship with Will Smith, branding the highly-talked about actor ‘a massive inspiration’ to her. 

The former Atomic Kitten singer, 41, and the Fresh Prince, 53, may not be deemed the most obvious of allies, but she was highly complimentary of him when writing in her latest OK! column, saying he has always been ‘lovely’ to her. 

However, the reality star made it clear she condemns Will’s widely-circulated behaviour at this year’s Oscars, where he slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife’s hair. 

‘I feel like he’s been a massive inspiration to me’: Kerry Katona has spoken of her surprising friendship with Will Smith but says it was ‘wrong’ of him to slap Chris Rock at the Oscars (pictured on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, 2007)

She said: ‘I adore Will – I feel like he’s been a massive inspiration to me. I’ve met him several times. We were on Jonathan Ross’ show together and he was the loveliest guy.

‘But I think it’s wrong that he slapped Chris. I don’t condone violence. His Oscar is for his work ethic and talent as an actor but, sadly, it has been overshadowed. 

‘I think he could have handled it differently. Although he was supporting his wife, Jada [Pinkett Smith], he could have had a word with Chris later, away from the cameras.’

Way back when: The former Atomic Kitten singer, 41, was highly complimentary of the Fresh Prince, 53, when writing in her latest OK! column

Will Smith SLAPS Chris Rock at the Oscars over joke about Jada

Kerry’s column comes after it was reported that Will’s upcoming film Fast And Loose won’t be going into production anytime soon after Netflix put it on the back burner.

The streaming giant has moved the project to the back burner in the wake of the controversy from his shocking Oscars slap, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film had already lost its intended director prior to Smith slapping comedian and presenter Chris Rock at the ceremony, further complicating the film’s path to being shot.

Screeching halt: It comes after it was reported that Will’s upcoming film Fast And Loose won’t be going into production anytime soon after Netflix put it on the back burner

Fast And Loose was originally to be helmed by Deadpool 2 director David Leitch, but he had withdrawn from the project just a week before the Oscars.

A source told THR that both Netflix and Universal had been competing for a new project from Leitch, but the traditional studio appealed to him more than the streamer. 

Following the loss, Netflix started urgently searching for a new director to take over on Will’s project. 

After Will shocked audiences at home and in Hollywood when he slapped Chris at the Academy Awards, Netflix opted to put his film on hold. 

Bad timing: A week before the Oscars, Will’s film lost director David Leitch, and Netflix was frantically surging for a replacement before the actor’s slap was seen round the world

‘Don’t give two cr**s:’ Jada Pinkett Smith embraces bald head

In the convoluted crime thriller, Will plays a man who wakes up in Tijuana after suffering a bout of amnesia from an assault.

But as he investigates his origins and regains pieces of his memories, he realises that he was a crime boss who also worked undercover as a CIA agent. 

Netflix reportedly was hesitant to move forward with Will in the lead role following his controversial attack on live television.

However, it’s not known if the project will be killed, or if Netflix will just find another star and director pair to lead it.

On Friday, the actor announced that he had resigns from the Academy, which means that he won’t be able to vote for the Oscars or attend special Academy events in the future. 

Convoluted: Will would play a man suffering amnesia who realizes that he used to be a crime boss working as an undercover agent for the CIA

Will Smith holds Oscar at Vanity Fair party after slapping Chris Rock

However, he will still be eligible for future Oscar nominations. 

‘I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate,’ he wrote in a statement.

‘Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason,’ Will concluded. 

The actor may still face disciplinary measures from the Academy despite his voluntary resignation. 

He slapped Rock on stage at the ceremony after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, which was her attempt to hide hair loss from alopecia. 

Family: Will slapped Chris on stage at the ceremony after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, which was her attempt to hide hair loss from alopecia