Will Smith stormed the stage of the Oscars and hit Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The actor, who is nominated in the best actor category, appeared to take offence to a gag Rock made about Pinkett Smith’s short haircut.

Will Smith won his first Oscar for best actor at the Academy Awards Sunday. The win came after an onstage confrontation with Chris Rock earlier in live show.

Among other highlights:

  • ‘CODA’ wins best picture Oscar, making Apple TV+ the first streaming service to win film’s highest honor

  • Jane Campion won best director Academy Award, marking the first time women have won the category back-to-back.
  • Jessica Chastain won best actress Academy Award for her transformative performance in ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’

A 94th Academy Awards that steadily maintained a buoyant spirit was rocked by the unbelievable exchange after Will Smith took offense to a joke made by Chris Rock about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

After Rock joked to Smith that he was looking forward to a sequel to “G.I. Jane,” Smith stood up from his seat near the stage, strode up to Rock and slapped him. After sitting back down, Smith shouted at Rock to “keep my wife's name out of your (expletive) mouth." When Rock, who joked about Jada Pinkett Smith while hosting the Oscars in 2016, protested that it was just a “GI Jane” joke, Smith repeated the same line.

“That was the greatest night in the history of television,” Rock said, before awkwardly returning to presenting best documentary, which went to Questlove's “Summer of Soul (...or When the Revolution Was Not Televised)."

A few minutes later, rapper Sean Combs — on stage to introduce a tribute to “The Godfather” — tried to play peacemaker and suggested Smith and Rock settle their differences at an Oscars afterparty. “Will and Chris, we’re going to solve that like family at the Gold party,” Combs said.

The moment shocked the Dolby Theatre audience and viewers at home. At the commercial break, presenter Daniel Kaluuya came up to to hug Smith, and Denzel Washington escorted him to the side of the stage. The two talked and hugged and Tyler Perry came over to talk as well.

Smith, star of “King Richard," won his first Oscar later in the ceremony.

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