Twelve days have passed since what will forever be remembered as the Oscar ceremony in which Will Smith slapped and insulted Chris Rock, and now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ruled that the actor will not be able to return to the Oscars or attend any other Academy event for the next 10 years. Also from the Academy they say that Smith will keep the Oscar he won the same night and will remain eligible for future oscar nominations and victories.
“The Board has decided that, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith will not be allowed to participate in any Academy event or program, in person or virtually, including, without limitation, the Academy Awards,”
These are the words of the president of AMPAS, David Rubin, followed by those of the CEO Dawn Hudson, who defines as an “unacceptable and harmful behavior” that of Smith in a letter to the 54 members of the board after the conclusion of a controversial virtual meeting held in the past few hours.
“I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” Smith said in a statement released immediately after that of AMPAS. Here is an excerpt of what Smith said.
“My actions at the presentation of the 94th Academy Awards were shocking, painful and unforgivable. The list of those I have injured is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, everyone present and the global audience at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I have deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to bring attention back to those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to return to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in films.”
For the few who do not remember how the events unfolded, Will Smith during the 94th Oscar ceremony exploded after Chris Rock made an unhappy joke about the baldness of his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who has long been ill with alopecia. Will Smith, who initially seemed to be smiling, then got up to catch up to catch up with the comedian and hit him with a slap as the participants watched in disbelief. We talked about it in detail immediately after the incident, which, as the facts show, is costing the famous actor’s career dearly.