In one slap, Hollywood actor Will Smith broke with the carefully orchestrated persona he has built over decades when he smacked comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, said University of Alabama Associate Professor Kristen Warner who studies race and media.

In the long run, Warner predicts Smith is unlikely to suffer significant financial consequences or lose any movie roles.

However, she feels the incident is likely to leave its shadow on the many diverse people struggling to make a name for themselves in the industry.

WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline