Actor Will Smith has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, according to a statement released Apr. 1. The announcement came four days after the Academy Awards, where Will Smith slapped presenter and comedian Chris Rock following a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
“I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate,” Smith’s statement read.
While presenting the award for Best Documentary at the Awards ceremony, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. “G. I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, seemingly referring to Jada Pinkett Smith’s short hair. Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that can lead to hair loss.
Cameras cut to the Smiths immediately after Rock’s joke, showing Jada rolling her eyes while Will laughed. The crowd responded with mild laughter, to which Rock replied, “That was a good one!”
Will Smith then walked onto the stage, slapped Rock across the face, and told Rock not to talk about his wife through strong language.
Will Smith later returned to the stage to accept an award for Best Actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith said, “in this business, you gotta have people disrespecting you. And you gotta smile and pretend that’s ok.” He concluded by saying he hopes the Academy welcomes him back.
After the event concluded, the Academy stated in a tweet that it “does not condone violence of any form.”
On Apr. 3, Will Smith issued an apology to Rock via Instagram, calling his behavior “unacceptable and inexcusable.”
On Mar. 30, two days after the Awards ceremony, the Academy issued a statement saying that it had “initiated disciplinary proceedings” regarding Smith’s actions.
David Rubin, President of the Academy, issued his own statement on Apr. 1, stating that the Academy had received and accepted Smith’s resignation. “We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct before our next scheduled board meeting on Apr. 18,” Rubin added.
