Will Smith has announced that he will be leaving the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , as a direct result of what happened during the Oscar Night.
The reference is obviously to the slap the actor gave Chris Rock during his monologue. We have dealt with everything in depth in this post , as we know Will Smith later apologized to his colleague , while the Academy decided to open an investigation .
Now, through a statement entrusted to the Hollywood Reporter , the resignation arrives.
Will Smith’s statement
My actions during the 94th Academy Awards were shocking, painful and unforgivable. The list of those I hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, some of my closest loved ones, everyone in attendance and the audience who were watching the event from all over the world. I have betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of the opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their amazing work. I am heartbroken. I want the focus to return to everyone who deserved it and I want to allow the Academy to go back to doing the amazing work it has always done to support creativity and artistry in film.
The response from the Academy
We received and accepted Mr. Will Smith’s immediate resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violating the Academy’s standards of conduct, ahead of our next board meeting scheduled for April 18th.
Smith’s resignation implies that he will no longer be able to vote for the Oscars, but can still be nominated for his performances and participate in future ceremonies. He will also be able to continue to hold the award he won for his portrayal of him in King Richard . Even if the investigation opened by the Academy will continue and therefore the situation could change further. As always we will keep you updated.