Will Smith wins Best Actor after slapping Chris Rock, says he hopes Academy 'invites me back'

Will Smith
(Image credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Well, this definitely isn't how we pictured Will Smith's first Oscar win going down.

Smith on Sunday won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard, the first Academy Award of his career. But the win came just about a half hour after Smith, in an absolutely jaw-dropping moment, smacked Chris Rock in the face live on the broadcast.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.