Will Smith wins the Best Actor Oscar shortly after slapping Chris Rock
polygon.comAfter nearly 30 years as one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood, Will Smith has finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air won the prize during Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards for his performance as Richard Williams, father to tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, in the biopicKing Richard — which is also nominated for Best Picture.
But the win will forever be shaded by a shocking moment earlier in the night. After Best Documentary presenter Chris Rock cracked a joke at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith took to the stage and slapped the comedian across the face. The telecast cut to silence after the altercation, as Smith continued to curse out Rock.
As international broadcasts of the ceremony confirmed, Smith told Rock to “keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!” Nothing about the moment felt staged, and no one involved with the ceremony immediately clarified what happened.
UNCENSORED WILL SMITH FOOTAGE AS SHOWN ON AUSTRALIAN TV pic.twitter.com/NcRfdjWxqe
Rock formerly hosted the Oscars in 2016, where he made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s boycott of the Oscars, essentially saying that she wasn’t invited anyway. Meanwhile, Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head is due in part to her ongoing struggle with Alopecia — a condition that causes hair loss — which she has spoken about publicly in the past.
Smith attempted to acknowledge the situation during his acceptance speech for the award.
“Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” he said, slowly succumbing to tears. “In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. [...] I am being called on in my life to love
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