Will Smith blasts Chris Rock in Oscars Best Actor speech ‘You have to smile and pretend that’s ok’

Will Smith blasts Chris Rock in Oscars Best Actor speech ‘You have to smile and pretend that’s ok’ he said of disrespect.

Less than 30 minutes before he won the Best Actor award for his role as Venus and Serena Williams’ father in the film “King Richard” Will Smith walked on the stage and slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rock made a comment about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head and Smith took

He addressed the incident in his speech.

“Richard Williams was a fierce defense of his family,” he said to open the speech alluding to his confrontation with Rock. “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 am being called on to love people and to protect people,” he said through tears.

Smith says you have to be able to take abuse and disrespect you.

“You have to smile and pretend that’s ok,” he said in his speech. “I want to be a vessel to love,” he said.

Several times in his speech the video cut out but you could still hear his speech.

“I want to apologize to the academy to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment, I am not crying for winning an award,” he said.

Watch Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars

“Art imitates life,” he said. “I look like the crazy father but love will make you do crazy things.”

He never mentioned Rock by name in his speech but it was clear what he was referencing in his speech.