Key Takeaways:
- Will Smith resigned from the Motion Picture Academy on Friday, saying he would accept any further punishment after his Oscars slap at Chris Rock.
- Smith would have joined the ranks of Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby, and actor Carmine Caridi in being kicked out of the Academy.
- Pinkett Smith, who has spoken openly about her alopecia, had a shaved head similar to Demi Moore’s in the original film.
Following his slap at Chris Rock at the Oscars, Will Smith resigned from the Motion Picture Academy on Friday, saying he would accept any further punishment.
Smith said in a statement released Friday afternoon that he will return to the United States “accept full responsibility for any as well as all consequences of my actions. At the 94th Academy Awards, my behavior was shocking, painful, and unforgivable.”
According to David Rubin, Smith’s resignation was accepted, president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. “We will keep moving forward with our disciplinary hearings against Mr. Smith for infractions of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct in advancing our upcoming scheduled board meeting on April 18.”
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With his resignation, Smith loses his right to vote. However, there are some less tangible advantages to being a member of Hollywood’s most prestigious organization: It gives its members credibility in the industry. It’s by invitation only, and membership is reviewed once a year.
“I betrayed the Academy’s trust.” According to his statement, other nominees and winners were denied the opportunity to celebrate and be recognized for their outstanding work. “I’m devastated. I want to refocus attention on those who deserve it for their accomplishments, allowing the Academy to focus on the incredible work to support filmmaking creativity and artistry.
“Change takes time, and I’m committed to doing the work necessary to ensure that violence never again triumphs over reason,” Smith said.
Smith’s resignation came two days after the Academy’s leadership board decided to start disciplinary proceedings against him for violating the organization’s code of conduct. Those proceedings might have resulted in suspension or expulsion, and it was unclear what other punishment he could face at the time.
Smith would have joined a little group of men kicked out of the Academy, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby, and actor Carmine Caridi. He was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.
On Sunday, Smith strode onto the stage from his front-row Dolby Theatre seat and smacked Rock, who had joked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. A few moments later, he won the best actor award in “King Richard.”
When asked by police, Rock, who was about to present the Oscar for best documentary, declined to file charges. He has only made a few public statements about the attack, saying that he is still “processing what happened” at a comedy show in Boston this week.
When Smith took the stage after Rock joked, he stunned Rock, the audience, and viewers at home. “I adore you, Jada. I’m looking forward to seeing ‘G.I. Jane 2’.”
Pinkett Smith, who has openly discussed her hair loss condition, alopecia, had a shaved head similar to Demi Moore’s in the original film.
After the attack, Smith returned to his seat as well as angrily yelled at Rock, “Get my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth!” twice. When Smith returned to the stage less than an hour later to accept his Oscar, he apologized tearfully to the Academy but did not mention Rock.
The repercussions were swift and severe. Smith had supporters defending his wife, but he was widely chastised for retaliating with violence, sabotaging his long-awaited Oscar win, and casting a pall over the night’s other winners.
Source: CTV News
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