[UPDATED] March 29 at 7:11 am EST – LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Monday announced they are launching an internal review in the wake of actor Will Smith’s attack on comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Following the announcement by the Academy, Smith took to his official Instagram account to apologize to the comedian publicly.
View this post on Instagram
The apology may be a case of too little, too late, as the Academy has already launched the review before the Instagram post. “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show,” the statement said. “We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our bylaws, standards of conduct, and California law.”
With the timing of the public apology, those in the industry wonder if this isn’t a last-ditch effort to try and save his career and his Oscar, which he simultaneously slapped into orbit.
Original Story Posted March 28, 5:22 pm EST
LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Monday announced they are launching an internal review in the wake of actor Will Smith’s attack on comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Smith, who was named the Best Actor of 2022 for his role in “King Richard” sparked drama on Sunday after he stormed the Oscar stage on Sunday night to slap host Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Pinkett-Smith suffers from alopecia, a genetic condition that can cause hair loss.
On Monday, the Academy said they “condemn the actions of Mr. Smith” and said they have officially launched a “formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.”
A source at The Academy also told CNN that they considered pulling Smith from the Oscars telecast following the incident.
“Academy leadership strongly considered removing Will Smith from last night’s broadcast following the incident. There were immediate discussions, but the Academy decision makers were seated in various spots in the Dolby Theater and couldn’t mobilize to make a decision before he won best actor,” the source told CNN.
Smith subsequently apologized for his role in the incident and, according to media reports, Chris Rock does not plan to pursue criminal charges of his own.
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