The Academy Bans Will Smith For 10 Years For Slapping Chris Rock On The Stage

It is all known that Hollywood's ace actor Will Smith bagged the 'Best Actor' award at the Oscars 2022 event. But he slapped comedian Chris Rock on the stage and shocked the guests present at the event. Although he issued an apology letter, the Academy decided to ban him for 10 years and issued an official statement. Even Will Smith also accepted the decision and gave his reply…

Will Smith stated, "I accept and respect the Academy's decision," after the Academy released their official statement…

The Academy statement reads, "The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behaviour we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage. During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers, and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented."

It also added, "Today, the Board of Governors convened a meeting to discuss how best to respond to Will Smith's actions at the Oscars, in addition to accepting his resignation. The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards."

Thanking Chris, the Academy said, "We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters, and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast." The Academy added that the action "is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy." The statement concluded, "We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted."