The 94th Academy Awards is making headlines around the world not for the awards handed out, but for the moment actor Will Smith stormed on stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock for a joke rock told about Jada Pinkett Smith.
Before the slap, Rock made a joke about Jada Smith's shaved head. She suffers from an illness that causes her hair to fall out. The Academy Awards has issued a statement condemning the slap, saying they do not condone violence. Movie producer Marshall Herskovitz is calling on the academy to take disciplinary action against Smith.
Afterward, multiple celebrities, including Denzel Washington and Bradley Cooper, rushed to Smith's side to speak with him. Smith later won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in biopic “King Richard,” the father of tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams.
Smith accepted the award, apologizing for his outburst and detailing an emotional acceptance speech on protecting family fiercely.
Following the show, the academy released a statement saying it “does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”