Will Smith resigns from Oscars Academy in wake of Chris Rock slap
Will Smith has resigned from the Oscars Academy, in the wake of his slap on Chris Rock.
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Will Smith has resigned from the Oscars Academy, in the wake of his slap on Chris Rock.
“I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate,” the actor wrote in a statement on Saturday.
Earlier this week the Academy had given Smith 15 days notice of a vote on the issue.
Smith said he was “heartbroken” over the incident and “betrayed the trust of the Academy” in a statement.
“I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable,” Smith said.
“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. I betrayed the trust of the Academy.
“I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film.
So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate.
“Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason,”
The Academy has accepted Mr Smith’s resignation.
“We have received and accepted Mr. Will Smith’s immediate resignation,” Film academy president David Rubin said.
We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith’s resignation means he can no longer vote for the Oscars — but he can still be nominated for future Academy Awards, attend future ceremonies and keep the statue he won. Still, the Academy’s formal review will continue.
ROCK TO MAKE MILLIONS FROM SMITH SLAP
Chris Rock could make at least $4 million in the wake of being slapped by Will Smith at the Academy Awards.
Industry insiders have claimed the comedian is being inundated with big cash offers for his first interview, with Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres both in line to score a sit-down with the comedian.
And it’s not just the bidding war over his first interview that will boost Rock’s bank balance, reports The Sun.
Hollywood insiders said Rock’s comedy show was now the hottest ticket in town.
“Chris has handled the situation with Will with such grace and poise – and it is paying dividends,” a source told The Sun.
“Hollywood just can’t get enough of him and while people are turning away from Will in droves, they’re queuing up to see Chris.
“His comedy tour is now sold out for months in advance and he has added more dates on thanks to the increase in demand.
“Chris has chosen to hold his tongue for now and it’s not surprising, as there are big money negotiations going on behind the scenes for his first chat.
“Oprah and Ellen have both shown interest in securing the first sit down interview with Chris about the slap and the aftermath.
“Chris is in no rush and wants to make sure he is in the right place before he agrees to anything.”
The moment Smith slapped Rock after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith has gone down as the most shocking moment in Oscar’s history.
SMITH’S BATTLE TO SAVE CAREER
Meanwhile, Smith faces a two-week battle to save his career after disciplinary action was formally started by Academy Award bosses.
The star and his lawyers will now write to the Academy to plead his case for slapping Rock at the Academy Awards, which was screened live last weekend.
On Thursday, Rock was seen for the first time in public since the shocking event.
Taking the stage in Boston, he still looked visibly shaken and broke down as he spoke to fans, who gave him a standing ovation.
Saying he was not ready to properly discuss the incident, he added: “Let me be all misty and s***. I’m still processing what happened. At some point I’ll talk about that s***.”
Meanwhile 53-year-old Smith — who was presented after the attack with his first Best Actor gong for his movie King Richard — now faces a make-or-break Academy hearing on April 18.
“Things are hanging in the balance. He will write an official letter to apologise, and effectively beg for their forgiveness,” a source reportedly told The Sun.
“He is also expected to hold a call with show bosses in the next 24 hours. April 18 is D-Day, though — he will find out if he still has an Oscar, and quite possibly, a career.”
Question marks hang over Smith’s upcoming projects including the Apple TV drama Emancipation — with executives declining to comment on its planned release.
He is also due to return to the Bad Boys franchise for a fourth instalment, though no start date has yet been set.
“Production executives and studio chiefs do not want to be seen picking a side too early,” the source said.
Smith lashed out after stand-up Rock joked about wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair — shaved due to alopecia — suggesting she could appear in a new G.I. Jane film.
After the forceful slap, Smith returned to his seat and twice shouted at Rock: “Keep my wife’s name out your f****** mouth!”
Reports emerged on Friday that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony, but this has been denied.
Photos of him dancing with his family at Vanity Fair’s exclusive post-awards party are said to have “added insult to injury” for those who thought he should not even have been invited on stage to accept his award.
“He could have been announced as the winner, but then cut to a break so he didn’t get to have his moment,” one source told The Sun.
“Later on he’s dancing the night away. That doesn’t exactly say, ‘I’m sorry for what I’ve done and I’m ashamed’. It’s more, ‘I don’t care’.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spelled out its stance in a statement.
“Consistent with standards of conduct, as well as California law, Mr Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response,” the statement read.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated.
“While we would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognise we could have handled the situation differently.”
It said the April 18 meeting will rule on “any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the by-laws and standards of conduct.”
The US public is widely divided over what should be done. Supporters insist Smith made “a simple mistake” and his actions are “understandable”.
“Great to see Hollywood so incensed by Will Smith’s slap and preparing to severely punish him,” Piers Morgan said on Fox News.
“Just a reminder the same Hollywood gave paedophile fugitive Roman Polanski an Oscar and a standing ovation after his conviction, and continues to hire him and shower him with awards.”
But sources believe The Academy is “leaning the other way”, adding: “They really feel they have to be seen to act.
“It’s no wonder Will is seeking legal advice — he’s likely to need all the help he can get to avoid sanctions.”
ROCK’S SURPRISING DEFENCE OF SMITH
It comes as Rock shut down a fan who yelled “f —k Will Smith” during the second night of his show in Boston.
“Someone yelled out ‘f —k Will Smith’ and he went ‘no, no, no,’” according to a woman in the audience at The Wilbur Theater on Thursday who didn’t want to give her name, the New York Post reports.
She added: “(Rock) said it like five or six times as he walked across the stage”.
Rock addressed the now infamous Oscars moment in an emotional return to the stage for his first show on Wednesday.
Exclusive video obtained by The New York Post showed the comic become emotional as he received a standing ovation at the opening of his sold-out show.
“Let me be all misty and s —t,” he said, according to Chloe Melas from CNN.
“What’s up, Boston? How was your weekend?,” Rock continued on stage, which was met with laughter from the crowd.
“I don’t have a bunch of s —t about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened,” he said.
He promised when he did talk about it, it would be worth listening to.
“I had written a whole show before this weekend. I’m still processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s —t. It’ll be serious. It’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes,” he said.
VIDEO SHOWS JADA LAUGHING AFTER SLAP
A new video has emerged showing Jada Pinkett Smith’s response to Smith’s shocking act during the awards
Pinkett Smith’s face can’t be seen during the video, but the 50-year-old Red Table Talk star appears to laugh heartily, before turning her attention to Smith, who returned to his seat before shouting: “Keep my wife’s name out your f —king mouth.”
The Academy Award-winning actor strode over to the Oscars host and slapped him, after the comedian implied Pinkett Smith could star in a sequel to G.I. Jane, apparently in reference to her closely shaved haircut.
Watch the video above.
In the footage, Pinkett Smith appears to throw her head back and laugh immediately after the assault, as the shocked comedian exclaims: “Wow, Will Smith just smacked the s —t out of me”.
The video, shared via TikTok on Sunday, was filmed from the floor of the Dolby Theatre directly behind where Will Smith and his wife were seated.
The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences claimed Will Smith was asked to leave after the assault but refused, however new reports say that’s not the whole truth.
TMZ reports Academy officials were split on their decision to eject Smith from the event, and a consensus was never reached.
The report quotes sources with “direct knowledge”, alleging show producer Will Packer told Smith he could stay.
However, The Academy, told the Associated Press on Wednesday night while things unfolded in a way The Academy could not have anticipated, Smith was requested to leave.
“While we would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognise we could have handled the situation differently,” the Academy said.
ACADEMY ‘OUTRAGED AND UPSET’
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences revealed leaders are “outraged and upset” by Smith’s behaviour at the Oscars.
A letter obtained by CNN states the altercation “overshadowed” what was meant to be a celebration of the film community.
It also said it could take weeks to dish out punishment for the actor and revealed Smith was asked to leave the ceremony – but he refused.
The Academy said: “Mr Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television.
“Mr Rock, we apologise to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment.”
The statement continued: “The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behaviour, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.”
“Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, [but] we also recognise we could have handled the situation differently.”
On Tuesday, police were spotted at Smith’s Los Angeles mansion in a marked patrol car after receiving a call about a drone sighting over the actors property.
The news also comes as Rock, 57, was spotted in public for the first time since Sunday night‘s Oscars.
He kept his head down under a ball cap as he arrived in Boston before he quickly got into a waiting vehicle ahead of his sold-out Wednesday show. Rock refused to answer any questions about Sunday’s slapdown.
Smith has publicly apologised to Rock for striking him, in one of the most shocking moments in awards show history.
However, Smith could still face punishment from the Academy, who condemned his actions and launched a “formal review” of the incident.
“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show,” the letter, signed by Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, said.
“We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
The group‘s Board of Governors are also planning an emergency meeting to discuss the incident and possible punishments.
Smith faces a range of outcomes, including forcing him to hand back his Oscar to the most severe punishment – suspension from the Academy — which would put Smith among the ranks of Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, who were both expelled for sexual misconduct.
ROCK APOLOGISED TO OSCARS HOST SYKES
Since the now infamous incident, Rock has apologised to Oscars host Wanda Sykes after he was slapped by Smith.
“I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but I saw Chris at Guy [Oseary’s] party,” Sykes said in a sneak peek of Wednesday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
“And as soon as I walked up to him, the first thing he said was, ‘I am so sorry,’ and I’m like, ‘Why are you apologising?,’” she said.
Rock told Sykes, 58, that “it was supposed to be” her night, along with fellow hosts Amy Schumer, 40, and Regina Hall, 51.
“Y’all were doing such a great job,” Rock continued. “I’m so sorry this is now gonna be about this.”
Sykes claimed that Rock has been the only one to apologise to her so far, and insinuated that she’s disappointed in “the industry itself.”
“I know he apologised to Chris, but I believe that we were the hosts, right? So this is our house, we’re inviting you in, we’re hosting, we’re gonna take care of y’all tonight, make sure you have a good time,” she said.
“And no one has apologised to us and we worked really hard to put that show together.”
Sykes said she wished Smith had been “escorted out of the building”, telling DeGeneres that she found the organisation’s decision to let Smith stay in the audience “gross.”
“I just felt so awful for my friend Chris, and it was sickening,” she said.
“I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatised by it. … And for them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, I was like, ‘How gross is this?’”
MOMENT ROCK TRIES TO APOLOGISE
Chris Rock tried to apologise to Will Smith after the King Richard actor slapped him in the face during the Oscars for making a joke about his wife’s hair loss, a photo appears to show.
The comedian can be seen trying to get Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s attention from the stage during an ad break about 10 minutes after the now infamous incident.
Rock leans forwards and gestures towards the couple, who are seated in front of him holding hands.
Pinkett Smith appears to look away while her husband looks like he has no interest in making peace.
Veteran actor Denzel Washington stands in between the actors.
Washington – along with Tyler Perry and Bradley Cooper – was pictured consoling Smith off stage after the slap.
An enraged Smith stormed the stage and slapped Rock in the face after he made a joke about Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia.
“Jada, I love ya. GI Joe 2, can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, in reference to her shaved head.
Smith responded by storming the stage and slapping Rock in the face, before walking back to his seat.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your f —king mouth,” Smith shouted at Rock as producers cut the audio.
Then, in a move only Hollywood could make up, Smith was named Best Actor.
“Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” a teary Smith said, as he returned to the podium to accept his Oscar after the jaw-dropping confrontation with Rock.
“In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world.
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