Scandal at Oscars

Actor Will Smith has been banned from attending Oscars events for 10 years after he slapped comic Chris Rock during the 94th Oscars ceremony. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement saying that Smith’s behavior was unacceptable and harmful and overshadowed the event. The Academy also mentioned that it did not handle the situation properly in the moment and apologized for this. The ban on Smith is to protect performers and guests and restore trust in the Academy. In response to his actions, Smith resigned from the Academy and issued a statement apologizing for his behavior and accepting the consequences. Smith’s resignation means that he will be unable to vote for future Oscars. The Academy’s disciplinary review was fast-tracked after his resignation. Few people have ever stepped down from the Academy, and four members have been expelled for sexual misconduct. Smith’s ban from Oscars events is one of several disciplinary options available to the film academy, including revoking his eligibility for awards or taking back his newly won Oscar. Only one Oscar has ever been taken back in history. At least two studios, Sony and Netflix, are also pausing their projects with Smith. Chris Rock, who was the subject of Smith’s slap, has not commented publicly on the incident but has mentioned to fans at a recent show that he is still processing what happened.