Will Smith has received his punishment from the Motion Picture Academy: 10 years suspension. He can’t vote or attend events or get swag.
He will not have to return his new Oscar, however. And he can still be nominated for one, although it’s unlikely. He’s banned from attending the Oscar ceremony for 10 years, too.
As I reported last week, Smith has been hanging out in Dubai with the crowned prince and not dealing with the consequences of his infamous Oscar “slap.”
His projects, however, are in limbo. And his business deals with his new financial partners are sketchy.
But Smith is wealthy beyond belief. He could take off two years and not notice it. Or more, really.
Here’s the Academy’s statement:
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.
Today, the Board of Governors convened a meeting to discuss how best to respond to Will Smith’s actions at the Oscars, in addition to accepting his resignation. 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.
We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.
This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behavior is a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted.
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