New York: Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars presentation ceremony and other Academy events for 10 years for slapping comedian and presenter Chris Rock at this year’s ceremony on April 3.
Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which met virtually to discuss disciplinary action against the American actor, said in statement that the 94th Oscars had been “overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behaviour we saw Mr Smith exhibit on stage.”
Banning Smith, Academy stated, was aimed at protecting performers and guests and “restoring trust in the Academy.”
The Academy apologized for not “adequately addressing the situation in the room” directly after the slap, adding that it was “unprepared for the unprecedented” and thanking Rock for “maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances.”
Smith, who slapped Rock for making fun of his actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s baldness, received the best male actor award in a leading role less than an hour after ‘slapgate’.
Smith did apologize for hitting Rock and resigned from the Academy.
