The Oscars just delivered more than a slap on the wrist to Will Smith: The Academy’s Board of Governors has banned this year’s best actor winner from attending the awards ceremony for the next decade after he assaulted comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 ceremony.
The Academy’s 54-member board met via Zoom on Friday morning to discuss “possible sanctions” against the actor — who will, as it turns out, be allowed to keep his trophy.
In a subsequent statement released Friday afternoon, the Board stated it 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.”
The virtual meeting was “contentious,” sources told Deadline.
In the official statement, Board President David Rubin described Smith’s behavior as “unacceptable and harmful.” He also admitted that the Academy did not “adequately address the situation” during the live telecast.
Rubin continued: “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. 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.”
Smith, 53, made international headlines after he stormed the stage at the March 27 ceremony and slapped Rock across the face over a joke the funnyman made about Smith’s wife, Jada.
The “King Richard” star went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor just minutes after the on-stage assault. He will be allowed to keep his gong.
The Academy’s Board of Governors is made up of high-powered actors, directors, producers and casting directors. Members include Laura Dern, Rita Wilson, Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay and Whoopi Goldberg.
Goldberg has previously spoken out about Smith’s actions on “The View,” saying she expected there to be “consequences” for his behavior. However, she was adamant that the Academy would not take away the stars newly-won Oscar.
Friday’s decision comes after Smith resigned from the Academy earlier this month, meaning he can no longer vote on future Oscars.
While announcing his resignation, Smith said he would “fully accept any and all consequences” for his conduct imposed by the Board of Governors.
“The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” the actor said at the time.
The Board of Governors was initially supposed to convene on April 18 to discuss “possible sanctions” against Smith. However, the meeting date was pushed forward by more than a week.
Smith Zoomed with Academy Awards CEO Dawn Hudson and Board President David Rubin last Tuesday, according to movie-industry insider Matthew Belloni. The star is said apologized to the honchos to “implicitly try to smooth things over in advance of the Board meeting on his accountability.”
Meanwhile, a recent report in The Sun claims Board members have been bitterly divided over whether to confiscate Smith’s Best Actor Oscar.
“The decision was made earlier this week to expedite the hearing in the wake of Will’s resignation,” a source told the paper. “And during that call, it was clear that the decision would go to the wire.”
The source said that some Board members deemed it hypocritical to rescind Smith’s statuette given that “convicted sexual predator Harvey Weinstein and fugitive child rapist Roman Polanski” still haven’t been stripped.
To date, the Academy has only revoked one Oscar: “Young Americans” had its 1969 best documentary accolade retracted after the board discovered that the film had come out in 1967.
However, the on-air assault — which played out live on television in front of tens of millions of viewers — deeply embarrassed the Academy.
The organization claimed it asked Smith to leave the ceremony after the assault, but he “refused.” However, TMZ sources subsequently alleged that the Academy lied about that claim — saying a consensus was never actually reached because officials were split about how to handle the situation.
Sources “with direct knowledge” who “were present” at the show told TMZ that show producer Will Packer told Smith “he could stay.
During the Oscars ceremony on March 27, Smith walked onto the stafe and struck Rock across the face after the funnyman made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Rock compared Pinkett Smith — who suffers from alopecia and shaved her head last summer — to Demi Moore’s bald character “G.I. Jane,” prompting the slap from Smith.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth!” Smith then shouted — twice — after returning to his seat.
A visibly stunned Rock continued with his set before leaving the stage. The following week, the comedian performed a show in Boston where he admitted he was “still processing” what happened to him at the Oscars.
Although he publicly apologized to Rock in a statement, Smith has reportedly failed to contact the comedian personally to say sorry for the assault.