Apr 8, 2022 - Economy

Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years for slapping Chris Rock

Shawna Chen

Photo: Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday that it has banned Will Smith from all Academy events, including the Oscars, for the next 10 years as a consequence of his actions at this year's ceremony.

Driving the news: Smith, who took home the Best Actor trophy that night, made international headlines after he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage for making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith's alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. He has since apologized and resigned from the Academy.

What they're saying: "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," Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in an open letter.

"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."
"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."

The big picture: In his apology to Rock, Smith said the joke was "too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."

He said Friday that "I accept and respect the Academy's decision," according to CNN.

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Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years for slapping Chris Rock

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