Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars and other film academy events for 10 years after slapping Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Driving the news: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday that Smith would be banned from academy events as a penalty for the Chris Rock incident, per The Washington Post.
- The academy met one week after Smith resigned from the academy, which means he can’t vote for the Oscars or attend specific events.
- This will not impact his win for the best actor award for his role in “King Richard.”
- Smith is still eligible to win awards in the future, too, per The Washington Post.
What they said: “During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in an open letter, per Variety.
- “This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy,” they added.
- ”We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.”
The response: Through a spokesperson, Smith said, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
Catch up quick: At the 2022 Academy Awards, the comedian Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s buzzcut, saying he was excited to see “G.I. Jane 2” — a reference to the movie with Demi Moore, who has short hair.
- Pinkett Smith “suffers from the autoimmune disorder alopecia, which attacks hair follicles resulting in bald spots and hair loss,” per People magazine.
- So Will Smith — who originally laughed at the joke — marched on stage toward Rock and slapped Rock across the face.
- Once he was back at his seat, Smith yelled out, “Keep my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth.”
- Smith went on to win the best actor award that night.
- Smith officially resigned last week from the academy and apologized to Rock.
What he said: “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken,” Smith said, as I reported for the Deseret News.
- “I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film,” he added.