New York, Europe Brief News – Oscar Academy banned US actor Will Smith from the Academy events for 10 years for assaulting Chris Rock on live television.
In a statement, the Academy said the 94th Oscars had been “overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behaviour we saw Mr Smith exhibit on stage”.
Smith has apologised for his actions and resigned from the Academy.
The actor hit Rock for joking about his wife’s shaved head, a result of the hair-loss condition alopecia.
Less than an hour later, he was awarded the best actor award for his role in King Richard, where he played the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises the awards ceremony, met virtually on Friday to discuss disciplinary action.
In a statement, it said banning Smith was aimed at protecting performers and guests and “restoring trust in the Academy”.
The Academy said that directly after the slap it did not “adequately address the situation in the room” and had been “unprepared for the unprecedented”. It apologised for this.
It also thanked Rock for “maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances”.
In his resignation statement, Smith said he had “betrayed the trust of the Academy” and was “heartbroken” over his actions.
Hollywood’s Glitziest Night
Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, a condition that causes hair to fall out.
After hitting Rock, Smith returned to his seat and shouted obscenities.
There have been conflicting reports in recent days over whether Smith was asked to leave the ceremony, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — the body that awards Oscars — saying he refused to go.
But Packer said he had counselled against ejecting the actor after speaking to Rock as he walked off-stage.
“I said: ‘Did he really hit you?’ And he looked at me and he goes: ‘Yes. I just took a punch from Muhammad Ali,’” Packer said.
Smith played the legendary boxer in the 2001 film “Ali.”
Packer said he had not been part of the conversation about removing Smith, but he had spoken against it.
“I immediately went to the Academy leadership that was on site. I further said: “Chris Rock doesn’t want that.”
“Rock has made it clear that he does not want to make a bad situation worse.”
Half an hour after the astonishing attack, Smith received the best actor Oscar award for his role in sports biopic “King Richard.”
