Rock, presenting the best documentary prize with a short comedy routine, had cracked a joke comparing Jada Pinkett Smith’s tightly cropped hair to Demi Moore’s appearance in the film “GI Jane” and suggesting she appear in a sequel.

In a moment that triggered awkward silence and confusion in the Dolby Theatre, Smith strode up to Rock and slapped him, before returning to his seat alongside Jada and shouting profanities.

“Keep my wife’s name out of your f**king mouth,” yelled Smith, forcing the producers to bleep out several seconds of audio from the televised broadcast in the United States.

Jada Pinkett Smith, who is also an actress, suffers from alopecia, and publicly revealed her diagnosis in 2018.

According to Scott Feinberg of “The Hollywood Reporter”, in attendance, a tearful Smith needed to be “pulled aside and comforted” by Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry during a commercial break.

“Will and Chris, we’re going to solve that like family. Right now we’re moving on with love,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs, presenting the next section.

Organisers of the ceremony later commented on the event in a Tweet, saying: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form.”

It added: “Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”