6 min readNew DelhiMar 30, 2022 07:36 AM IST
First published on: Mar 29, 2022 at 02:07 PM IST
Actor Will Smith’s assault on comedian Chris Rock at Monday’s 94th Academy Awards was not good publicity for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which has already been dealing with image issues. The incident has now left the organisation with an important decision.
Smith, who was nominated for his performance in King Richard, slapped Rock after the latter made a joke about his wife, actor Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada, who suffers from alopecia, had rolled her eyes after Rock compared her to Demi Moore’s bald character in the film GI Jane.
Following the incident, the Academy wrote in a tweet that it doesn’t condone violence, and called for an emergency meeting of board members on Monday. A second meeting will be held Wednesday to review the situation.
What happened at the Oscars between Will Smith and Chris Rock?
Chris Rock cracked an unscripted joke about Pinkett Smith’s condition while presenting at the Oscars, triggering Smith to walk up on stage and slap him.
Smith appeared to laugh at the joke at first, but a few seconds later, was seen striding towards the comedian, and in full view of the audience, attack him.
He then walked back to his seat and screamed expletives at Rock.
The moment was censored in the United States, but was aired unedited in several territories across the world, including in India.
What has Will Smith said about the incident?
Less than an hour after the incident, Smith was awarded the best actor Oscar trophy for playing Richard Williams in King Richard. In his acceptance speech, Smith had said, without mentioning Rock, “I want to apologise to the Academy. I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all of the people.”
On Tuesday morning, in a second apology, this time on social media, Smith said, “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness. I am a work in progress.”
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar party during the 94th Academy Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. (Reuters Photo: Danny Moloshok)
Rock has not issued a statement on the incident.
How did the Academy react to the Will Smith-Chris Rock altercation?
As the live feed rolled, the Academy reportedly seriously considered removing Smith from the venue.
However, no such action was taken, and in a press statement later, it said: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
What has the police said about the incident at the Oscars?
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement shared with the press, “The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report.”
So, what next?
Possible ramifications for such behaviour include expulsion, public or private reprimanding, and revocation of Academy Awards won by an offender.
The Academy’s statement Tuesday came with a five-page document that highlights behaviour it deems unacceptable. This includes “physical contact that is uninvited and, in the situation, inappropriate and unwelcome, or coercive sexual attention.”
It also said “intimidation, stalking, abusive or threatening behavior, or bullying” was not allowed.
Expulsion from the Academy would mean a revocation of voting rights for the Oscars and any other privileges that a membership affords, although it doesn’t bar the individual from being nominated in the future.
Will Will Smith’s Oscar be revoked?
While instances of nominations being revoked are rare, they have happened, but mostly for technical reasons such as abuse of Academy guidelines.
Producer Harvey Weinstein was the first person to be expelled by the Academy, amid allegations of rape and sexual harassment in 2017. A year later, Bill Cosby was expelled after being convicted of sexual assault. Filmmaker Roman Polanski was expelled at the same time, years after he fled the US amid allegations of statutory rape. Both Weinstein and Polanski, as well as disgraced director Woody Allen, are still in possession of their Oscars.
Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s board of governors, said Monday on The View, “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, I’m sure.”
Newsletter | Click to get the day’s best explainers in your inbox
Will Smith hits Chris Rock on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. (Reuters Photo) 
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar party during the 94th Academy Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., March 27, 2022. (Reuters Photo: Danny Moloshok)
Share
