Will Smith Resigns From The Academy; Here's What It Means

Actor Will Smith took to his Instagram account on Friday (April 1, 2022) and revealed that he is resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following his actions at the stage of Oscars 2022. In a statement he said, he will "fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable."

For the unversed, Will slapped Chris Rock after the comedian make a G.I.Jane joke at Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's expense. The actress who is battling alopecia had attended the ceremony with a bare head similar to that of G.I Jane's character from the 90s.

Will Smith in his statement also said he would accept any further punishment the organization imposed. It read, "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."

"Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason," Will concluded in the statement.

Soon after, The Academy president David Rubin said Will's resignation was accepted. "We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18."

Resigning from The Academy means Will Smith will no longer enjoy the benefits that members are afforded, including access to screeners for films in consideration and the ability to vote for potential nominees. Being part of The Academy also bestows industry credibility on its members. The invitation-only membership is based on a once-a-year review.

On the other hand, his invitation to attend future Academy Awards and related events remains to be seen once the Academy board reaches a decision later this month.

Meanwhile, if he had been expelled, Will would have joined a small group of men removed from the academy including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby, and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for piracy.