The Fresh Prince became a king and finally won his first Oscar - just minutes after being involved in an on-stage bust up with awards host Chris Rock.
Smith took home his first ever Academy Award for playing Richard Williams — father and tennis mentor to Venus and Serena Williams — in King Richard.
Receiving the award, Smith spoke shortly emotionally of his onstage confrontation with comedian Rock, who had made a crack at Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Smith noted, in tears, that Richard Williams was also fiercely protective of his family. “I want to be a vessel for love,” he said.
He said he was "defending his family" after appearing to slap Chris Rock for a joke. (Source: 1News)
He then paused, the meaning behind his choice of words clear, and teared up as he spoke about being a protector for those who worked with him on the film.
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“I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people,” Smith said during his acceptance speech.
“I know to do what we do you’ve got to be able to take abuse. You’ve got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you've got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you’ve got to smile and pretend like that’s OK.”
Smith then yelled swear words at the comedian after retaking his seat. (Source: 1News)
There had been few, if any, smiles during the incident in which Smith stormed on stage, slapped Rock and then shouted and swore at him when back in his seat.
He also apologised to the academy and his fellow nominees. “This is a beautiful moment,” he said. “Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father. But love will make you do crazy things.”
READ MORE: Oscars: Crowd bemused as Will Smith slaps Chris Rock after joke about wife
The exchange began when Rock took aim at Pinkett Smith's shaved head, saying, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see it, all right?”
Pinkett Smith revealed in 2018 that she was diagnosed with alopecia. She has often discussed the challenges of hair loss on Instagram and other social media platforms.
The joke missed, badly.
Smith walked onto the stage from his front-row seat and took a swing at Rock with an open palm, generating a loud smack. Smith walked back to his seat and shouted for Rock to leave Pinkett Smith alone. Rock replied that he was just making a “GI Jane” joke — and Smith yelled back at him a second time.
“That was the greatest night in the history of television,” Rock said, then resumed his role as presenter.
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 win comes for Smith's third nomination. He was previously nominated for Ali in 2002 and The Pursuit of Happyness in 2007.
Smith beat out fellow nominees Javier Bardem, Andrew Garfield, Benedict Cumberbatch and Denzel Washington, who trumped Smith for the 2002 best actor Oscar with his win for Training Day.
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