Will Smith Wins Best Actor Oscar For ‘King Richard’ & Apologizes To The Academy

Will Smith won an Oscar for his amazing performance in King Richard.

Unfortunately, the biggest night of Will’s career was overshadowed by his action about 20 minutes before, when he walked on stage and slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith‘s hair.

During his emotional acceptance speech, Will apologized to the Academy saying:

I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees.

This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award, it’s not about winning an award for me.

Art imitates life, I look like the crazy father. Love will make you do crazy things.

I know to be able 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 have people disrespecting you and you gotta pretend that that’s OK…Denzel said to me a few minutes ago, ‘At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.’

Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. 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.

Making this film, I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis who is one the most strongest, most delicate people I’ve ever met.

I got to protect Saniyya and Demi, the two actresses that play Venus and Serena…I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people.

I wanna be a vessel of love. I wanna say thank you to Venus and Serena, I just hope they didn’t see that on TV.

Watch is full speech below.

Jazzy Jeff took to Instagram to celebrate his longtime friend’s big win writing:

You are NO longer The Prince!!!

You are the KING!!

Congrats my brother!!

You are the GREATEST!!!

See his original post below.

Congratulations to Will on his well-deserved Oscars win!