Oscar Academy condemns Will Smith's slap in the face

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Hollywood star Will Smith: No apologies to Chris Rock

Photo: Chris Pizzello/AP

The resounding slap in the face in front of an audience of millions has an aftermath: the Oscar Academy has condemned Hollywood star Will Smith's assault on comedian Chris Rock at this year's Oscar gala and initiated an investigation.

"We will examine further steps and consequences (...)," said the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences the day after the scandal.

Smith slapped Rock hard at Sunday night's Oscars on the stage at Hollywood's Dolby Theater after the comedian made a joke about Smith's hair-losing wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

At first, Will Smith laughed while his wife made a face.

Then he got up from his seat and went onto the stage.

After the slap, Smith yelled in Rock's direction from his seat, "Keep my wife's name out of your damn mouth!" - twice using the word "fucking", which was frowned upon on US television, and with a beep on the US broadcast was drowned out.

Rock appeared slightly taken aback after the incident, but quickly recovered and joked, "It was the greatest night in television history." she knew of an incident at the ceremony in which one person slapped another.

The attacked refused to report the incident.

A tweet from the academy said that night about the incident: “The academy does not condone any form of violence.

Tonight we are delighted to celebrate the winners of the 94th Academy Awards, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and film lovers around the world.”

Immediately after the incident, many fans on social media and also observers in US media had wondered whether it was an actual outburst of anger by Will Smith or a prearranged scene.

Smith's acceptance speech, who won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in "King Richard" that memorable evening, suggested that he had indeed briefly lost his temper.

Smith tearfully apologized to the Oscar Academy and the other nominees - but not to Chris Rock.

ok/AFP