Will Smith loses his temper and slaps Chris Rock

It’s a sequence that has gone around the world. Will Smith, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage in front of millions of viewers for a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Before presenting the Oscar for one of the categories, comedian Chris Rock joked that Jada Pinkett Smith, who has publicly admitted she has a condition that causes hair loss, could be up for ” GI Jane 2″, a reference to the 1997 film, starring Demi Moore, about a woman undergoing military special ops training (Moore’s character shaves her head in the film).

A joke that did not make Will Smith laugh at all, since he burst onto the stage and slapped Rock. He then returned to his seat and appeared to shout: “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth”.

Viewers in the United States, however, did not hear Smith’s invective, as Oscar producers muted the sound. Instead, they only saw a visibly shaken Rock staring at Smith.

Social networks were inflamed by this scene, with some Internet users believing that the heated exchange was a little prepared, although it does not appear to be. The event cast a chill over the rest of the evening, leaving guests speechless.

Later, Will Smith won his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and would address the altercation. He didn’t mention Rock by name.

“I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. Love will make you do crazy things”did he declare.