Will Smith resigns from Oscars Academy over Chris Rock slap
Will Smith has resigned from the Oscars Academy after slapping presenter Chris Rock on stage.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says it has accepted his “immediate resignation” from the organisation and will “continue to move forward” with its disciplinary proceedings against him.
The actor said he was “heartbroken” and would accept any consequences that emerged from his scheduled hearing in a statement announcing his decision.
His statement also said he had “betrayed the trust” of the Academy and “deprived” his fellow nominees and winners the opportunity to celebrate their achievements on the night.
“We have received and accepted Mr Will Smith’s immediate resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” Academy president David Rubin said in a subsequent statement.
“We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18.”
Smith, 53, won best actor for King Richard, but stormed on stage before his win after reacting to a joke made by Chris Rock which referred to his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
The formal review will take place on 18 April, when the Academy board will meet to discuss what disciplinary measures will be taken.
“I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct,” Smith’s statement read.
“My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable.
“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.”
Hollywood trade outlet Variety reported that Smith met leaders of the Academy on Tuesday to discuss his outburst and apologised to chief executive Dawn Hudson and Rubin.
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Showrunner Will Packer also told Good Morning America that the actor had called him the morning after the ceremony to apologise for the incident.
Packer also said he initially thought the incident was something Rock and Smith had planned together.
He said: “I thought this was part of something that Chris and Will were doing on their own, I thought it was a bit… like everybody else, I knew we hadn’t practised it.
“I wasn’t concerned at all (as Smith was walking on the stage). I figured OK, he’s going to say something or come at him, something funny is going to happen because that’s the nature of Chris and that’s the nature of Will, so let’s see what happens.
“Once I saw Will yelling at the stage with such vitriol my heart dropped and I just remember thinking ‘Oh no, not like this’.”
He also revealed that following the incident the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) had been “prepared” to arrest Smith, telling Rock he had been the victim of “battery”.
The comedian had been “very dismissive” of the options given to him by LAPD officers and had “not wanted to make a bad situation worse,” Packer said.