Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars Row: Academy Will Take 'Appropriate Action' Over Slap Incident
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has said that it is “upset and outraged" over Hollywood star Will Smith's behaviour during the 2022 Oscars ceremony during which he slapped actor-comedian Chris Roc
The
Academy
of
Motion
Picture
Arts
and
Sciences
(AMPAS)
has
said
that
it
is
“upset
and
outraged" over
Hollywood
star
Will
Smith's
behaviour
during
the
2022
Oscars
ceremony
during
which
he
slapped
actor-comedian
Chris
Rock
on
stage.
AMPAS
president
David
Rubin
and
CEO
Dawn
Hudson
sent
a
letter
to
the
Academy
members,
promising
that
the
organisation
will
take
"appropriate
action" over
the
incident
after
an
official
process
that
would
take
a
“few
weeks".
"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
behaviour
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," the
letter
read.
The
live
telecast
of
the
94th
Academy
Awards
on
Sunday
was
marred
by
the
incident
in
which
Rock
cracked
a
joke
at
actor
Jada
Pinkett
Smith's
expense
and
Smith
responded
by
slapping
the
actor-comic
on
stage.
The
incident
started
when
Rock
came
on
stage
to
announce
the
winners
for
best
documentary
feature
award
and
made
a
tasteless
joke
about
Pinkett-Smith,
saying
she
could
star
in
the
sequel
to
"G.I.
Jane",
in
an
apparent
reference
to
her
shaved
head
because
of
the
autoimmune
disorder
alopecia.
An
enraged
Smith
went
up
and
hit
Rock
on
the
face,
leaving
the
audience
members
as
well
as
millions
of
viewers
of
the
ceremony
shocked.
Smith
later
won
the
best
actor
trophy
for
his
performance
in
the
movie
"King
Richard".
He
apologised
to
the
Oscars
organisers
in
his
acceptance
speech
but
not
to
Rock,
who
declined
to
press
charges
against
Smith.
On
Monday,
the
"Bad
Boys" star
publicly
tendered
an
apology
to
Rock
on
Instagram.
The
letter
further
stated
that
it
will
continue
to
update
the
members
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,"
the
letter
concluded.
In
the
immediate
aftermath
of
the
slapgate
controversy,
the
Academy
had
condemned
Smith's
actions
and
later
launched
a
formal
review
into
the
incident
that
will
go
down
as
one
of
the
most
shocking
moments
in
Oscars
history.