Nearly two weeks after actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars over a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday that is forbidding Smith from attending any Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years. The ruling was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“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,” writes AMPAS president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson of Smith’s “unacceptable and harmful behavior” in a letter to the full membership after a virtual meeting concluded earlier today. “We hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted,” the letter concludes.
Following the drama at the Oscars, multiple projects involving Smith were already placed on hold including Bad Boys 4 for Sony, Fast and Loose for Netflix, and the Apple TV movie Emancipation. Smith has publicly apologized to Rock and the Academy.
However, Smith will be allowed to keep the Oscar he won during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony in March, and he remains eligible for future Oscar nominations and wins.
A week ago, Smith resigned from the Academy–which did little to deter disciplinary proceedings after the ceremony. Questions and speculation have persisted–and continue to–about what the Academy could have done to properly handle the incident. Reportedly, right after the incident, Smith was asked to leave the Oscars but refused, while another report suggested no such request was ever made.
Smith is not the first person in Hollywood to be temporarily banned from the Academy following controversy, though he is the first to face such punishment for slapping someone in the face. Other banned members include Bill Cosby, Roman Polansky, and Harvey Weinstein, all of which were removed after legal action was taken for accusations of flagrant sexual misconduct.
