Will Smith has had nothing to do with the Oscars for a long time.
Actor Will Smith has received a ten-year gate ban from the U.S. Film Academy Board at the Oscars.
– The Board has decided that as of April 8, 2022, Smith will not be allowed to attend the events or occasions of the Academy in person or virtually for the next ten years, Chairman of the Board David Rubin and the CEO Hudson Smith say in their bulletin.
Smith’s gate ban is due to an incident at the 94th Oscar Gala on March 27th. Smith stepped onto the stage in the middle of the gala and slapped the comedian Chris Rockia directly on the face. The situation was dashed when Rock joked about Smith’s wife’s baldness. Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from Alopecia, which causes baldness.
Picture of the incident. AOP
The Academy bulletin calls Smith’s use unforgivable and harmful.
In addition to the CEO and chairman, the board also includes film director Steven Spielberg and actor Whoopi Goldberg.
Smith said he had previously resigned from the U.S. Film Academy.
– My activities at the 94th Oscar Gala were shocking, painful and unforgivable. The list of those I have hurt is long. It includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those present, and global audiences at home, Smith justified his resignation.
He also said he had sought treatment at the facility due to the incident and the stress caused by the incident.
Source: Deadline
Will Smith won the Best Actor Oscar for his film King Richard: The Story of the Williams. AOP