We are aware of what has happened during the 94th Academy Awards ceremony that was held on March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Will Smith who punched Chris Rock on the stage of the Oscars 2022 for cracking a joke on his wife Jada Pinkett Smith has been the epicenter of a controversy this week.
And the latest update on this is that the actor refused to leave the Oscars ceremony after this incident, reveals the Academy.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed on March 30 (IST) that Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars ceremony after slapping fellow actor and comedian Chris Rock on the Oscars stage.
Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars event, says the Academy
The Academy’s statement said, “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently”.
The Academy also said that it had started disciplinary action against Smith for his assault at the grand event that was televised globally.
Academy’s disciplinary proceedings have begun
The statement added, “The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Will Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.”
According to Academy’s rules, Smith is given a chance to provide a written response before the group takes any action against the actor for violating the Academy’s standards of conduct.
The next board meeting will be held on 18th April on which the board might take the necessary disciplinary action.
“Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response.
At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.”
The board is currently under high pressure as it had to take the appropriate action against Smith for slapping Rock during the live ceremony.
Altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock
The altercation between the two actors started when Rock cracked a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald look, who was sitting next to her husband Will Smith.
Smith then ran on stage and slapped Rock. Coming back to his seat, he yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f**king mouth!”.
After a few moments, Will Smith won the Oscar for best actor category for his role in “King Richard” movie. While receiving the award, Smith has tears in his eyes. In his speech, he apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees for his reaction however he did not address Rock.
Earlier on Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock for his unacceptable behavior at the event by taking to his Instagram handle.
He also apologized to the Academy, makers of the show, attendees, and viewers for his behavior. He said that he was “out of line” and “reacted emotionally.”
Well, we need to wait and watch as to what Will Smith has in store in the days ahead. Stay tuned as we bring to you the latest updates on this whole episode!
