Amid the chaos at the Oscars on Sunday, one photo appeared to show Chris Rock attempting to apologize to Will Smith after his joke about Jada Pinkett Smith resulted in her husband storming the stage and slapping the presenter in the face.

Around ten minutes later, with the proceedings paused for a commercial break, Rock can be seen in the untelevized moment leaning forward from the stage gesturing to where Smith and his wife were sitting.

He is shown holding out his open palm as if to apologize to Smith, who in 45 minutes would go on to be presented with the Lead Actor award - despite the slap.

Actor Denzel Washington is also shown in the photo, standing between the pair on the stairs leading up to the stage, as if to keep them apart or negotiate a truce.

Smith, shown sitting in the bottom-left-hand side of the image, appears unmoved.

He is shown holding his wife's hand while looking straight ahead of him, as if to avoid eye contact with the man he just hit in front of Hollywood's elite, and millions of viewers at home.

Despite his best efforts, it was reported that Rock - still holding the red winner's envelope in his other hand - was unable to speak with Smith.

In his speech after winning the Lead Actor award, Smith apologized to many people - including tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, the daughters of Richard Williams whom he portrayed in 'King Richard' - but snubbed Rock in his apology.

In the same commercial break, Washington - along with Tyler Perry - could be seen consoling Smith off the the side of the stage 

Rock made a joke about the hairstyle of Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith that referenced the movie 'G.I. Jane' in which actress Demi Moore shaved her head.

Smith suffers from alopecia and the joke did not appear to sit well with her. 

Smith, who 45 minutes later won best actor for King Richard, walked on stage and slapped Rock in what at first appeared to be a scripted joke, but the mood turned to shock moments later when Smith, back in his front row seat, shouted 'Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth.'