For slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage during the recently-held 94th Oscars Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has slammed a ten-year ban on Will Smith.
Consequently, the ‘King Richard’s actor has been banned from attending the Oscars Awards ceremonies for the next 10 years.
Though the board decided not to strip the actor of the best actor Oscar Awards that he won last month for his role in “King Richard” the board also banned Smith from attending any other events held by Hollywood’s top film group over the next decade.
In a statement, the Academy cited Smith’s ‘unacceptable’ and ‘harmful’ behavior that ‘overshadowed’ the entire evening for it’s disciplinary action.
“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.
“The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, that 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”, President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a letter.
In a statement on Friday afternoon after the decision was reached, Smith told Journalists: “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
He had already resigned from the Academy last Friday, taking the decision out of their hands to rescind his membership as it did with Harvey Weinstein. Smith’s wife, Jada, will still be allowed to attend in-person events.
Recall that Smith slapped Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head. Pinkett-Smith has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia.
After the slap, Smith returned to his seat and screamed “keep my wife’s name out of your f*****g mouth.”
He then went on to win the Oscars Award for Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams. He used his speech to apologize to the Academy and he later posted an apology on Instagram.
Meanwhile, The Sun has disclosed that Will Smith will be checking into a rehabilitation center.
This moment had such repercussions that, as reported by the British newspaper ‘The Sun’, the artist will spend some time in a rehabilitation clinic.
“The impact of the backlash has hit Will hard, so he will be getting help on dealing with stress,” explained the newspaper.