'My behavior was unacceptable'

'I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong.'

Will Smith seems to be regretting punching Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.

The actor had delivered a blow to the comedian when Rock landed a joke on Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Smith later tried to make amends during his mumbling acceptance speech after winning the Best Actor award for King Richard.

Smith was spotted dancing to his hits at Vanity Fair's Oscars party on Sunday night and didn't seem to regret his violence.

Contrition presumably arrived with the possibility that his Oscar could be taken from him as payback for his unacceptable conduct during the awards ceremony, something that was reportedly being discussed by senior members of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences on Monday.

'Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,' Smith posted on Instagram.

'I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

'I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world.

'I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.

'I am a work in progress.'

Meanwhile, Richard Williams, whose life was played by Will Smith in King Richard, issued a statement about the incident.

'We don't know all the details of what happened,' Williams told NBC News, via his son Chavoita LeSane. 'But we don't condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it's in self-defense.'