WATCH | Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars before winning best actor award

In a moment that left many Oscar attendees and those watching at home confused, actor Will Smith confronted Chris Rock on the Oscar stage after one of the comedian’s jokes.

Smith walked onto the stage and appeared to slap Rock before walking back to his seat and swearing at the comedian. 

“Will Smith just smacked the sh*t out of me,” Rock said.

Smith responded by shouting back: “Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth.”

Those sitting around Smith, including star Lupita Nyong’o, look visibly surprised by Smith’s outburst. 

On the same night Smith won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard.

In his acceptance speech he addressed the earlier incident, saying: “I know to do what we do, you have to be able to take abuse. You have to be able to have people talk crazy about you in this business, you’ve got to be able to have people disrespecting you. You have to  smile and pretend like that is OK.”

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