That infamous slap, seen and heard around the world, stung a lot more than anyone thought, especially for Will Smith. Following his impromptu slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars, Smith has been banned from all Academy events, including the annual presentation of the Oscars, for 10 years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Friday, April 8, 2022.
In an open letter to its membership the Academy said of its decision, “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.”
“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. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.”
The letter was signed by Davis Rubin (Academy President) and Dawn Hudson (Academy CEO)