Will Smith has officially gotten the boot. While he was allowed a moment of recognition – and even given a standing ovation – during the 94th Academy Awards last month, the father of three has been banned from attending the prestigious ceremony for the next decade following an altercation between him and Chris Rock.
The 57-year-old comedian was slapped across the face by his colleague on that fateful night, and in the weeks since, we’ve heard the world give their opinions on the matter while eagerly waiting to see what the aftermath would be like for both Smith and Rock.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
On Friday, April 8th, it was officially announced, as per PEOPLE, that the Academy’s Board of Governors met virtually to discuss the situation. Their ultimate decision was that “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.”
“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,” Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson wrote in a letter.
View this post on Instagram
The Academy praised Rock’s handling of the situation in their message, writing, “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 behaviour 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.”
It’s been noted that the meeting was originally set for April 18th, but was pushed up after the I Am Legend actor announced his formal resignation on April 1st.
On the other side of things, Rock seems to be faring well as he entertains audiences on his Ego Death tour, which has seen some interesting antics from patrons so far, although the South Carolina-born star has managed to keep a cool head – read more about that here, and let us know what you think about the Academy’s decision below.
[Via]