Will Smith throws Oscars into chaos as Chris Rock altercation overshadows win

Smith, who won his first Academy Award for King Richard, appeared to take offence to a gag Rock made about Pinkett Smith’s short hair

Flesh prints: Will Smith took offence to a comment about his wife's hair and slapped Chris Rock. Picture: Chris Pizzello/AP

The Oscars were thrown into chaos after Will Smith stormed the stage and hit Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, just minutes before Smith was named best actor at the ceremony.

The incident overshadowed a night that saw Coda, which features a predominantly deaf cast, named best picture, while Troy Kotsur made history as the first deaf male actor to win a gong and Kenneth Branagh won the best original screenplay prize for his semi-autobiographical film Belfast.