By Miriam Collins // Awards Shows // EEW Magazine Online

Christians say, when people do you wrong, turn the other cheek, but Will Smith says, smack them on the cheek.

When the actor planted a hard, loud, open-handed slap on comedian Chris Rock’s face during the live broadcast of the 94th Annual Academy Awards Sunday, everyone was stunned, especially after slowly realizing that this wasn’t part of a comedy bit but was in fact every bit real.

Once that became clear, all the laughter stopped.

So, what happened?

The “King Richard” actor, 53, did not take too kindly to a snarky joke the funnyman made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, 50.

Rock roasted Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying, “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it, all right?”—a reference to the 1997 film “G.I. Jane,” starring Demi Moore, who shaved her head to portray a fictional Navy Seal candidate.

(Credit: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images)

However, unlike Moore, Pinkett Smith has a real-life reason why she was forced to cut off her hair. In 2018, the “Red Table Talk” host revealed she had been diagnosed with alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes your hair to come out. Since that time, Pinkett Smith has openly discussed the challenges of hair loss on Instagram and other social media platforms.

Moments after the slap, Smith accepted the award for best actor, his first-ever Oscar, for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.

Will Smith accepts the best actor award for "King Richard" at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday. (Credit: Neilson Barnard / Getty Images)

During his acceptance speech, Smith tearfully apologized to The Williams sisters and his fellow nominees but did not mention Rock’s name in the apology.

Instead, Smith likened himself to his character Richard Williams, branding himself a “fierce defender” of his family.

Smith then spoke about being a protector for those who worked with him on the film such as Aunjanue Ellis along with Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, the two actors who played Venus and Serena.

“I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people,” said Smith as rivers of tears flowed. “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.”

Will Smith in 'King Richard.' (Credit: Chiabella James / Warner Bros. Pictures)

Smith clearly had had enough.

After striking Rock, he walked back to his seat and shouted for the comic to leave Pinkett Smith alone. Though Rock replied that he was just making a “G.I. Jane” joke, trying to deescalate the situation — Smith yelled back at him a second time, “Keep my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth.”

A hush fell over the crowd.

At the commercial break, presenter Daniel Kaluuya came up 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 shared what Washington told him: “At your highest moment, be careful because that’s when the devil comes for you.”

Amen, to that.

“I’m hoping the Academy invites me back,” Smith said, as he concluded his on-stage remarks.

A representative for Rock didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

After the show, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences issued a statement saying it “does not condone violence of any form.”

The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that it was aware of the incident, but Rock “declined to file a police report.”

A few minutes after the slap was heard around the world, rapper Sean Combs who was on stage to introduce a tribute to “The Godfather,” played 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, as the audience laughed uncomfortably.

The confrontation overshadowed Smith’s milestone accomplishment. He was previously nominated twice for best actor, first for “Ali” in 2002 and then “The Pursuit of Happyness” in 2007. In those films, he portrayed real-life characters: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali and Chris Garner, a homeless salesman.

This time, Smith won against formidable competition including Andrew Garfield, Javier Bardem, Benedict Cumberbatch and Denzel Washington — who won his first and only best actor Oscar award in 2002 over Smith for “Training Day.”

But all anyone online seems to be talking about on the Internet is Smith’s strong reaction to Rock’s joke. Some are even connecting Smith’s response to something the sarcastic jokester said about Pinkett Smith in 2016.

That year, Rock hosted the Oscars, but Pinkett Smith did not attend, saying at the time her decision stemmed from a lack of diversity among award nominees and how Black artists were not properly represented.

“Jada said she’s not coming,” Rock said.

“I was like, ‘Isn’t she on a TV show?’ Jada’s gonna boycott the Oscars? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited!”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.