Will Smith has just been banned from attending the Oscars for the next 10 years as a penalty for slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage during the 94th Award Ceremony. This was decided after an in-house meeting held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The Oscar-winning actor is also not permitted to attend any other events held by Hollywood’s top film group for the next decade. But he is, however, allowed to keep his best actor Oscar won last month for “King Richard.”
Will Smith Banned From The Oscars
“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,” said president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson in a letter.
“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,” they wrote.
“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,” they added.
“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,” they said.
“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.”
Read the Full Story of How Will Smith Got to this point by Slapping Comedian Chris Rock
