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a12 people & arts
Saturday 9 april 2022

Will Smith gets 10-year Oscars ban

over Chris Rock slap

year's Oscars, as is tradition
for the best actor winner.
The academy in its Friday
statement also expressed
"deep gratitude to Mr.
Rock for maintaining his
composure under extraor-
dinary circumstances."
The academy's statement
did not address whether
Smith could be nomi-
nated for Oscars during
his 10-year ban. Nor did it
take any action to revoke
Smith's Academy Award.
The academy has not
Chris Rock appears at the the FX portion of theTelevision Critics revoked Oscars from ex-
Association Winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 9, pelled members Harvey
2020, left, and Will Smith appears at the 94th Academy Awards
nominees luncheon in Los Angeles on March 7, 2022. Weinstein or Roman Polan-
Associated Press ski. With his resignation last
week, Smith lost the ability
By ANDREW DALTON The academy also apolo- to vote for nominees and
AP Entertainment Writer gized for its handling of winners.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The the situation and allowing At the March 27 Academy
motion picture academy Smith to stay and accept Awards, Rock came out
on Friday banned Will Smith his best actor award for to present the best docu-
from attending the Oscars "King Richard." mentary Oscar and made
or any other academy "During our telecast, we did jokes about several at-
event for 10 years following not adequately address tendees, including Smith's
his slap of Chris Rock at the the situation in the room. wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Academy Awards. For this, we are sorry," the "Jada, I love you. 'G.I. Jane
The move comes after a academy said. "This was 2,' can't wait to see it,"
meeting of the academy's an opportunity for us to set Rock said.
Board of Governors to dis- an example for our guests, Pinkett Smith, who has spo-
cuss a response to Smith's viewers and our Academy ken publicly about her hair
actions. It is unclear wheth- family around the world, loss condition, alopecia,
er the ban would apply to and we fell short — un- had a closely shaved head
future nominations. prepared for the unprec- similar to that of Demi
"The 94th Oscars were edented. " In a statement Moore in the 1997 movie.
meant to be a celebra- in the days following the Smith strode from his front-
tion of the many individuals Oscars, the academy said row seat on to the stage
in our community who did Smith was asked to leave and smacked Rock, stun-
incredible work this past the ceremony but refused. ning the comedian, the
year; however, those mo- But it's not clear how the theater crowd and viewers
ments were overshadowed message was delivered to at home.
by the unacceptable and Smith or what form it took, Many thought it was a
harmful behavior we saw and several media outlets planned gag set up by
Mr. Smith exhibit on stage," reported that he was never the show or the men them-
the academy said in a formally told to leave the selves, but the seriousness
statement. Dolby Theatre. The Los An- of the situation set in after
"I accept and respect the geles Times reported in a Smith returned to his seat
Academy's decision," Smith story Thursday that Oscars and angrily twice shouted
said in response. He pre- producer Will Packer told at Rock to "keep my wife's
emptively resigned from Smith: "Officially, we don't name out your (expletive)
the academy last week want you to leave. We mouth."
during the run-up to the want you to stay." Rock said he had no in-
meeting, calling his actions The ban means Smith will terest in pursuing charges
"shocking, painful, and in- not be presenting one of when asked by police
excusable." the major awards at next backstage.
Smith took the stage again
less than hour later to ac-
cept his Oscar, tearfully
apologizing to the acad-
emy but notably omitting
any mention of Rock. He
compared himself to Rich-
ard Williams, the man he
played in "King Richard,"
"a fierce defender of his
family."q