The Academy of Oscars announces on Monday evening that it has opened an “investigation” into the incident that occurred the day before during the gala evening. Actor Will Smith, who won the Best Actor statuette for The Williams Methodwent on the stage of the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles and hit the presenter Chris Rock by giving him a violent slap.
“The Academy condemns the actions of Will Smith during last night’s show,” the organization wrote in a statement sent to AFP. The organization assures that it will examine the follow-up to be given with regard to its “regulations and Californian law”.
What is Will Smith risking?
Some have called on the Academy of Oscars to withdraw her award, but actress Whoopi Goldberg, one of the Academy’s administrators, said that would not be the case. “There will be consequences, I’m sure, but I don’t think that’s what they’re going to do, especially because Chris” Rock has said he won’t press charges.
On the criminal level either, no prosecution seems possible at this stage for lack of a complaint from Chris Rock, the Los Angeles police had indicated on Sunday evening. Will Smith would therefore only expose himself to disciplinary sanctions, which can range according to the code of conduct of the Academy from a simple reprimand to expulsion.
Moment of stupor
Will Smith caused a moment of amazement in the hall of the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday evening after he went on stage, apparently furious, to slap comedian Chris Rock who had just made a joke about his wife’s shaved head. Jada Pinkett Smith has alopecia, severe hair loss.
“I want to apologize to the Academy” of the Oscars, launched a little later in the evening the actor, in tears, while coming to receive his prize. He also lambasted “people disrespecting you”. “Love makes you do crazy things,” he pleaded.
The Academy of Oscars had only stressed earlier that it “does not tolerate any form of violence, whatever it is”.