The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Tuesday evening issued a statement regarding the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock at Sunday’s Oscars, noting that an inquiry “will take a few weeks.”
A formal review was initiated after the Academy’s officers convened for an emergency call about the King Richard actor, who stormed on stage during the live telecast and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The investigation will explore whether any further action is required, in accordance with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct and California law.
Tuesday’s letter, which was signed by Academy CEO Dawn Hudson and distributed to the organization’s members, indicated that the 94th Oscars was “meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work in the past year.” Hudson wrote that, instead, those moments were “overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior on stage by a nominee.”
Following the physical confrontation, Smith proceeded to yell at Rock from his seat in the audience: “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.” Rock, who had made a G.I. Jane joke about Pinkett Smith — a reference to her shaved head (the actress has been vocal about her diagnosis of alopecia) — appeared visibly shaken, but continued to present the best documentary award as the evening went on.
Not long after, Smith won his first Oscar for his role as Richard Williams, the father of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams, in King Richard, and apologized to the Academy and to his fellow nominees in his emotional acceptance speech.
Hudson reiterated that the Academy still condemns Smith’s actions, as they said in a previous statement on Monday. “As outlined in our bylaws, the Academy’s Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith,” the letter read. “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.”
Former Academy president Sid Ganis is among the members who have weighed in on the controversy, saying that he feels its not the board’s place to Sanction Smith. “I think those are two men who had a real disagreement and it’s up to them, not to the Academy, not to any of us,” he argued. Actors branch member Rutanya Alda disagreed, however. “I think security should have escorted him out immediately instead of letting him sit there spewing unacceptable language at Chris Rock,” she asserted. “Someone else should have accepted his award. Why did he get a pass?”
The moment between Smith and Rock has already become the subject of late-night television commentary, while a number of stars from Mia Farrow to Jim Carey to Rob Reiner have condemned Smith’s behavior.
Read the full letter from the Academy below.
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.
Thank you,
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
David Rubin
President
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Dawn Hudson
CEO
Source: Hollywood
