Following his slap at Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, the motion picture academy prohibited Will Smith from attending the Oscars or any other academy function for ten years on Friday, April 8, 2022. Following a meeting of the academy’s Board of Governors to discuss a response to Smith’s activities, the decision was made.
“The 94th Academy Awards were supposed to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who accomplished tremendous work this past year,” the academy stated in a statement. “However, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and damaging behavior we saw Mr. Smith demonstrate on stage.”
Will Smith has Accepted and respected the decision
During the week leading up to the meeting, Smith preemptively resigned from the school, saying he would accept any punishment the institution imposed. Smith said in a statement, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.” Smith was permitted to stay and accept his best actor prize for “King Richard” after the academy apologized for its handling of the matter.
“We did not appropriately address the issue in the room during our telecast.” “We apologize for this,” the academy stated. “We had a chance to set an example for our guests, viewers, and Academy family throughout the world, and we failed – unprepared for the unprecedented.” Smith was asked to leave the Oscars ceremony but refused, according to a statement released by the Academy in the days following the celebration.
However, it’s unclear how or in what form the warning was communicated to Smith, and multiple media sources have stated that he was never formally forced to leave the Dolby Theatre. “Officially, we don’t want you to go,” Oscars producer Will Packer informed Smith, according to the Los Angeles Times. “We’d like for you to stay.”
As a result of the suspension, Will Smith will not be presenting one of the major trophies at the Academy Awards next year, as is customary for the best actor winner. The academy also expressed “deep thanks to Mr. Rock for retaining his cool under unusual circumstances” in a statement released on Friday.
Will Smith could not be nominated for an Oscar during his 10-year ban, according to the academy’s statement. It also did nothing to invalidate Smith’s Academy Award. Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski, both expelled members of the Academy, have not had their Oscars removed.