Will Smith Hits Chris Rock at Oscars, Wins Best Actor Moments Later

Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard Sunday, moments after appearing to hit Chris Rock in the face because the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, during the live ABC broadcast.

The incident occurred as Rock was announcing the nominees for Best Documentary.

"Jada, love you, G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it," Rock teased.

That's when Smith walked up on stage and seemed to hit the comedian in the face.

"Wow! Will Smith just smacked the [expletive] out of me," Rock said as Smith returned to his seat.

"Keep my wife's name out of your [expletive] mouth," Smith yelled at Rock as the crowd laughed nervously.

"Wow! Dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke," Rock said, referring to Pinkett Smith's close-cropped hairdo.

"Keep my wife's name out of your [expletive] mouth," Smith repeated.

"I'm going to, OK? OK?" Rock said, smiling and shaking his head. "That was the greatest night in the history of television."

Pinkett Smith has been candid about her battle with the hair-loss condition alopecia and has been sporting a shaved head in recent months.

UPI has contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for comment.

"I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees," Smith said in his Oscars acceptance speech. "Love will make you do crazy things."

He also quoted double Oscar winner Denzel Washington as telling him after the altercation with Rock that: "At your highest moment, be careful. That's when the devil comes for you."

Pinkett Smith and Rock previously voiced roles in the animated Madagascar film series.