The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced that Will Smith will be banned from all Academy events, including the Oscars, for the next 10 years.
The 53-year-old actor will not be permitted to attend the event until 2033, though it’s not clear if he can still be nominated for awards during that period.
The Academy’s Board of Governors met on Friday (April 8) to vote on the matter and they just released a statement. Will previously announced that he has resigned as a member of the Academy, giving up his privilege to vote for the awards.
The disciplinary action against Will comes after he slapped presenter Chris Rock in the face and screamed profanities at him during a moment at the 2022 Oscars.
Click inside to read the Academy’s full statement…
Read the Academy’s full statement below…
The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.
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.
Today, the Board of Governors convened a meeting to discuss how best to respond to Will Smith’s actions at the Oscars, in addition to accepting his resignation. The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards.
We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.
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. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.
Source: justjared.com