Will Smith Reacts to Academy Banning Him From Oscars for 10 Years Over Slap

Will Smith has released a statement in response to the Academy's decision to ban him from events for a decade." I accept and respect the Academy's decision," he said to Page Six. It came shortly after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banned Smith from all its events for ten years after slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. 

AMPAS president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson wrote to the entire membership on Friday, "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," according to Deadline. According to the letter, the ban "is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy."

AMPAS brought about the ban following an incident during the March 27 Oscar ceremony when Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pickett Smith, and her shaved head, a hairstyle choice she made due to alopecia. Smith walked on stage and slapped Rock in the face. 

"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 behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage," the AMPAS Board's letter noted."During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry."

 Smith's ban means he will not be allowed to hand out the Best Actress award at the 95th Academy Awards, as is tradition for the previous year's Best Actor winner. However, the AMPAS decision does not disqualify Smith from being nominated in the future. The actor will keep the Oscar he won this year for his role in King Richard.

Last week, Smith announced he was resigning from the Academy and apologized for his actions, calling them "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, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film."