Footage emerges of Chris Rock after Will Smith slap sparking outpouring of sympathy

The reaction to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars has seen people express just about every opinion possible, and share every bonkers theory you can imagine.

Now, though, many are more showing sympathy towards Rock following the uploading of a viral video.

In case you managed to miss it all, Smith stepped onto the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and proceeded to hit Rock following a joke he’d made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith on Sunday night.

“Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me,” Rock said at the time, before Smith shouted: “Keep my wife's name, out of your f***ing mouth."

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Rock seemed completely taken aback in the immediate aftermath while presenting the award for Best Documentary, and now video has emerged which shows more than was revealed in the broadcast footage.

The clip, posted by user @sincerelyordinary, shows the comedian looking totally dazed as he waits to the side of the stage.

It’s not clear who he looks at in the crowd, but he turns and makes a nonplussed look to someone as the musician and director Questlove accepts the award for his documentary Summer of Soul.

Users on TikTok were quick to comment and share sympathy for Rock after seeing the video.

“Love him, and the saddest thing was that no one came to support him,” one said.

Another added: “I'm sorry but this guy deserves more than some washed-up written apology on Instagram.”

Will Smith hit Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday night Getty

One more said: “Sad to see him look this way. Alone on a stage full of people who are not even showing empathy.”

Smith took to Instagram this week following the incident on Sunday with a lengthy public apology for Rock, which divided opinions.

He called the violence "poisonous and destructive" before condemning his behaviour as "unacceptable and inexcusable."

"I am a work in progress," he signed off.