Will Smith won best actor for 'King Richard' Sunday night. But at what cost?

On Oscar night, Will Smith became the talk of Hollywood – for finally winning an Academy Award, but also for an Oscar fracas none of us could have ever seen coming.

Smith's award-worthy legacy had led him to what was to be a crowning moment. This is the man who made July 4 his own holiday in the 1990s with blockbusters that pulverized the box office. He’s dropped hit rap tunes, written books, played superheroes (plus one blue genie), battled aliens (a few times) and embodied a heavyweight boxing champ.

Sunday was supposed to be the night that honored all of that but instead became an evening forever remembered because of chaos. When Smith walked up on the Academy Awards stage and hoisted a best actor trophy, it was with tears in a complicated moment: Just minutes earlier, he slapped and exchanged heated words with comedian Chris Rock for a "G.I. Jane" joke aimed at his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss.

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"Love makes you do crazy things," Smith said, apologizing to the Academy and his fellow nominees for the incident that instantly became a "Did that really happen?" sequence that lit up social media and overshadowed the winners that night (including Smith's own film performance).

He started his acceptance speech by name-checking the man he plays in "King Richard" and it wasn't long before tears were streaming down his face as he drew parallels between the movie and what had just happened.

"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 me to do and be in this world," Smith said. "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've got to be able to take abuse, you've got to be able to take people talking crazy about you, people disrespecting you, and you got to smile and pretend that's OK."

Williams would later condemn Smith's act of violence at the show.

Smith also shared an exchange he had with fellow nominee Denzel Washington after the fight: "At your highest moment, be careful. That's when the devil comes for you."

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The confrontation sullied everything about what should have been an exceptional evening for Smith as he became only the fifth Black actor in Oscar history to win the category.

Smith launched as a hip-hop star alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff in the late 1980s, which he parlayed into the beloved 1990s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Then the silver screen came calling and he was a cinematic success story with “Bad Boys,” “Men in Black” and “Independence Day.”

Smith's first Oscar nomination came with “Ali” in 2002, but Washington’s iconic “Training Day” performance prevailed, despite Smith's remarkably transformative role.

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In "King Richard," Smith again embodied a historical sports figure – tennis coach and devoted dad to Venus and Serena – which earned him a nomination and, this time, an Academy Award. Smith showed deep emotional depth alongside his signature magnetism in his portrayal of a scrappy and dogged personality who wanted his girls to become champs in sports and life.

Approaching Oscar night, Smith's impending win was seen as a long time coming and, as it did for other recent winners like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, gestured toward the thespian's entire body of work.

Now, the Oscar Slap Heard Round the World has perhaps forever sullied his win. Apologies have been made – on Monday, Smith admitted on Instagram he was "out of line" and that his behavior was "unacceptable and inexcusable."

The consequences for his actions remain to be seen as the Academy weighs what to do.

Many have spent their lifetimes watching Smith, looking up to him, being entertained by him, though right now a great deal of them are obviously disappointed in him. As a performer, Smith is a living legend, worth his weight in Oscar gold and more. As a man, he's got some work to do.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Smith wins first Oscar: Best actor for 'King Richard'