Teary Will Smith has rendered an apology to the Academy and his fellow nominees after slapping Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife at the Oscars.

In what has turned out to be “the most awkward moment” in Oscars history, the actor took to the stage to hit Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, actor Jada Pinkett Smith.

Delivering a lengthy speech while accepting the prize for the best actor owing to his performance in the movie ‘King Richard’, Will Smith noted that “love can make one do vr@zy things”.

The actor added: “I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my.

“I know, to do what we do, we’ve gotta be able to take abuse. You’ve gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you’ve gotta be able to have people disrespecting you.”