LOS ANGELES – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Friday that Will Smith will be barred from attending the Oscars for 10 years because of “harmful behavior” he displayed when he killed comedian Chris Rock during last month’s ceremony. .
The ban comes a week after the actor resigned from the organization following his violent performance on the Oscars stage on March 27.
In an open letter issued after a morning meeting of the Academy’s 54 governors, group president David Rubin and its chief executive Don Hudson also called Mr Smith’s behavior “unacceptable” and criticized the situation during the telecast. accepted the point. ,
“We are sorry for this,” the statement said. “This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, audiences and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short – not prepared for the unprecedented.”
Mr Smith said in a statement that “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
The Academy declined to elaborate on whether Mr. Smith was eligible to be nominated for an Oscar, but two industry figures with knowledge of its rules and who needed anonymity were asked to discuss the Academy’s proceedings. Permission was granted, said Mr Smith is still eligible to win an Oscar but cannot attend Academy Awards ceremonies and other events.
Will Smith and Chris Rock feud
The Academy praised Mr Rock for “maintaining his composure in exceptional circumstances” and thanked others involved for “his decency and grace during our broadcast”. Representatives for Mr Rock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr Smith was anticipating the possibility that he would not be welcomed at future ceremonies in the emotional, and polarizing, acceptance speech he gave after winning the Oscar for Best Actor, which he concluded by saying: Hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you.”
Except for Mr Smith at next year’s ceremony, this means she will not be allowed to present the Oscar for Best Actress, following a tradition in which the previous year’s Best Actor winner presents the award for the Best Actress category. , and vice versa.
The punishment for the upcoming movie “Redemption,” a $100 million drama for Apple, could also spell trouble. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Mr. Smith as a runaway slave who joins the Union army, is in postproduction and has already been viewed as a potential prize contender. Apple representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Before Mr. Smith resigned, the organization was considering expelling or suspending the actor, who took to the Oscars stage in the middle of the ceremony and slapped Mr. Rock for joking about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, before returning to the seat, where he shouted abusive words that had exited the live television broadcast. Mr. Smith was allowed to stay at the Dolby Theatre, and soon after his anger he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and received a standing ovation.
Conflicting accounts of what happened after the explosion have plagued the Academy, which has been criticized for not removing Mr Smith from the theater immediately. The group in its defense said last week that they asked Mr Smith to leave but he refused.
The broadcast’s producer, Will Packer, later said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that although Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony, Mr. Packer did not ask the Academy leadership to “physically remove” him from the theater. was urged to do. In the middle of a live broadcast.
Mr Packer said that when he learned that plans to physically remove Mr Smith from the venue were being discussed, he contacted Academy officials and told them he believed Mr. “Didn’t want to make a bad situation worse.”
But someone close to Mr. Rock, who was granted anonymity to speak while the Academy incident was under investigation, said Mr. Rock was never asked directly if he wanted to. Mr Smith should be fired.
Friday’s sentencing means Mr Smith will not be allowed to attend any events organized by the Academy, including the Governors Awards, which are dedicated to honorary Oscars and are not on television, and the annual Academy Luncheon. , which celebrates each year’s nominees. They will also be barred from the screening organized by the Academy. If he’s invited, he’ll likely still be able to attend the studios, or the private parties offered each year by magazines including Vanity Fair.
The Academy hopes Friday’s action will put an end to the incident, which has dominated the media over the past week and the many praises given in the annual broadcast.
“The actions we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior are a step toward a greater goal of protecting the safety of our cast and guests, and of restoring trust in the Academy. May start a time of healing and recovery for all involved and affected.”
matt stevens Contributed reporting from New York.
