Will Smith announced on Friday April 1 that he was resigning from the Academy of Oscars.
Under disciplinary proceedings after slapping Chris Rock in the middle of the ceremony last week, the actor decided to anticipate his potential sanction by making the decision to leave the Academy, he explained in a press release . He also declares on Instagram that he will fully assume all the consequences of his conduct.
“My actions at the 94th Academy Awards were shocking, painful and inexcusable. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, everyone in the audience or at home. I resign as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and will accept any consequences the Board of Directors deems appropriate.”
The board of directors must meet on April 18 to discuss his case and establish a possible sanction adapted to the situation. As a reminder, the actor had slapped the presenter of the ceremony Chris Rock; the latter had made a stroke of humor on the hairstyle of his wife who suffers from an illness. He currently has two weeks to write a letter of explanation. Among the sanctions provided for by the organization’s internal regulations was suspension or expulsion from the Academy, which has nearly 10,000 members.
Several voices were raised to demand that Will Smith be stripped of his Oscar following his violent behavior. Others, however, pointed out that neither Harvey Weinstein, a former Hollywood magnate convicted of rape and sexual assault, nor director Roman Polanski had been forced to return their statuette after being expelled from the Academy.