By Blessing Udeobasi
Following April 8 meeting of the Academy board of governors aimed at discussing the disciplinary action against Will Smith, the actor has been barred from attending any Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.
The board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises the Oscars, made the announcement immediately after the meeting in Los Angeles.
According to a statement by the Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, “The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,”
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“The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.
“During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.”
Will Smith had earlier resigned his membership from the Academy, giving up his voting rights, and said before the disciplinary hearing that he would accept any consequences.
