After he stormed onstage, slapped Chris Rock, and returned to his seat to shout expletives at the comedian, actor Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday’s Oscars. But he refused, and minutes later, accepted the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, telling the crowd he wanted to be a “vessel for love.” He also apologized to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences – which runs the awards show – and said he hopes he’ll be invited back.
But on Wednesday, the Academy condemned Smith in a statement and announced they were initiating disciplinary proceedings aimed at investigating the actor’s “inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.”
The Academy’s governors are set to meet April 18th and will discuss punishing Smith via “suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions.”
The statement surfaced the revelation that Smith rebuffed the Academy’s request to leave the ceremony after the assault. The Academy acknowledged “we could have handled the situation differently.”
The stunning incident was triggered by Rock teasing Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, about her baldness, which was triggered by alopecia. Before presenting an award, Rock said he looks forward to seeing Pinkett Smith in a sequel to G.I. Jane, the 1997 film that required actress Demi Moore to shave her head.
Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes. Her husband stormed the stage. After being struck, Rock kept his composure and tried to resume the show.
“Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment,” the Academy’s statement added. “We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.”
Rock made his first public comments about the incident on Wednesday during a standup set in Boston. He told the crowd, “I’m still kind of processing what happened, so at some point I’ll talk about that s***. And it’ll be serious and it’ll be funny, but right now I’m going to tell some jokes.”
Smith had offered an apology earlier in the week, writing in a social media post, “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
