The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences has once again slammed Will Smith’s actions during the 2022 Oscars on Sunday night.
Apart from winning the much coveted award for Best Actor, also his first ever Oscar, Will Smith caused a buzz worldwide when slapped comedian Chris Rock. The latter made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith hair, a joke that didn’t sit well with Will.
The Academy had initially condemned Will Smith’s actions and announced that a formal review was underway on Monday.
READ MORE: Who Won What? See the Full List of Winners from The 2022 Oscars
The Academy has released another statement now, which reads,
“Dear Members,
Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Oscars was meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year. We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior on stage by a nominee. To be clear, we condemn Mr. Smith’s actions that transpired Sunday night.
As outlined in our bylaws, the Academy’s Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith. As governed by California law regarding members of nonprofit organizations like the Academy, and set forth in our Standards of Conduct, this must follow an official process that will take a few weeks.
We will continue to update you on any developments, but we also ask that you respect your Board, Academy staff and the process as this unfolds so it can work in the considered way it was intended and mandated. Please trust that the Board of Governors will conduct this process in a manner that is both expedient and respectful of all involved while maintaining the standards of the Academy.”
The statement was signed by the president of the Academy, David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson.
