Will Smith got emotional during his Oscar acceptance speech after an onstage scuffle with presenter Chris Rock. Smith won his first Oscar in the Best Actor category for his role in King Richard.
The win came minutes after he punched Rock for making a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's medical condition. In his acceptance speech, Smith said through tears, "In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. ... I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people."
"I know to do what we do you gotta be able to take abuse; you gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you, and you gotta smile and pretend like that's okay."
Smith then addressed the incident indirectly, offering an apology to the Academy and his fellow actors. However, he left out Rock from his note.
"I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees," he said.
Smith then joked, "Art imitates life: I look like the crazy father. Just like they said about Richard Williams. But love will make you do crazy things."
He later added, "Being able to love and care for my mother and my family, my wife ... Thank you for this honour. Thank you for this moment. ... I hope the Academy invites me back."
Will and Jada's son Jaden Smith tweeted, "And That’s How We Do It".
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)