The Academy says Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Chris Rock slapgate; initiates disciplinary proceedings against him March 31, 2022 at 12:06PM
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has begun disciplinary proceedings against Will Smith after he slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday. Many had questioned why Smith, who moments later received a standing ovation after winning the award for best actor, was allowed to remain seated in the front row at the Academy Awards after the altercation. The Academy’s board of governors, which met on Wednesday, said it had also initiated disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. The Academy also claimed that it asked the actor to leave the ceremony but he “refused.” In a statement on Wednesday, the Academy said, “Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, [but] we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.” It also announced it had "initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct" which in...