It was a night where the spotlight fell on the Will Smith-Chris Rock slapping incident, overshadowing the big winners at the Academy Awards. 

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face on stage at the Oscars after the comic made a joke about the actor's wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

"Jada, can't wait for GI Jane 2," he said, in an apparent reference to her shaved hairdo - which is a result of the hair loss condition alopecia.

Smith walked on stage and struck Rock before returning to his seat and shouting: "Keep my wife's name out of your [expletive] mouth."

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock

As we leave Hollywood behind, Will Smith has been pictured dancing to tunes including his own at the Vanity Fair Oscars party after slapping Chris Rock on stage at the awards ceremony.

Rock had made a comment about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved hairstyle - which is a result of the hair loss condition alopecia.

Smith went on to the stage, slapped Rock, and then returned to his seat, where he shouted and swore at him.

The show went on, with the Academy later saying it did not "condone violence of any form".

Smith - who later won best actor for his role in King Richard - made apologies on stage in a tearful acceptance speech.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said Rock had declined to file a police report about the incident.