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Tag: chris-rock

Christian Bale Stars in First Trailer for David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam’

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David O. Russell is a man who can certainly attract eclectic, impressive ensembles for his movies – and his latest, ‘Amsterdam’, is no exception. When Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington are just the tip of the casting iceberg, you know you’re in for an acting treat.

Described as a ‘romantic crime epic’, Russell’s first film since 2015’s ‘Joy’ is a blend of fact and fiction as three close friends find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.

Bale, Robbie and Washington are those three friends, a doctor, a nurse and an attorney who meet in Belgium and form a strong bond. When they witness a murder, Bale’s Burt is accused of the crime and will need help from his buddies and others to clear his name. Beyond that, the story is mostly a mystery, though largely seems to be an excuse for Russell – who wrote the script as well as directing – to indulge in some quirky caper goodness.

It kicks off with the central trio wheeling a dead guy into a funeral home. “You have a dead white man in a box,” Chris Rock’s character says at the start of the trailer. “Not even a casket. It doesn’t even have a top on it.” As he wheels the container away, he laments: “Who do you think is going to get in trouble here?”

(L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The trio sets out to find someone, anyone (starting with Robert De Niro’s character, a friend of the victim who was killed “because of something monstrous he had seen”) to help them uncover the truth. Along the way, there are encounters with all sorts of odd characters and a quick-acting version of infamous painkiller morphine.

There are shades of TV’s ‘Fargo’ here (not least thanks to the presence of Rock, who starred in the show’s most recent season), but the big appeal is in the astonishingly stacked cast that the director has rounded up.

Bale, of course, is a repeat Russell collaborator, having appeared in ‘American Hustle’ and ‘The Fighter’, though he’s trumped by De Niro, who marks his fourth role in a movie for the director.

Alongside the veterans, there is a batch of actors who make their Russell debuts for the sprawling ensemble of ‘Amsterdam’. Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matthias Schoenaerts, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek and even Taylor Swift showed up for this one (we’re hoping the latter had a good time shooting the movie, or there will be a very critical, well-written song in Russell’s future).

‘Amsterdam’ will make its way into theaters on November 4th.

(L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

(L-R): Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

(L-R): Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Zoe Saldana in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Robert De Niro in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

(L-R): Christian Bale and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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July 6, 2022
Jada Pinkett Smith Comments on the Will Smith/Chris Rock Oscar Incident

Jada Pinkett Smith arrives on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at the Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S.

The incident that occurred at the Oscars on March 27 this year between Chris Rock and Will Smith continues to cause ripples in pop culture.

And while Smith’s wife, actor Jada Pinkett Smith hasn’t really commented about what happened on the night, she has now opened up about it on her Facebook Watch talk show ‘Red Table Talk’.

“This is a really important Red Table Talk on alopecia,” Pinkett Smith said at the top of this week’s show. “Considering what I’ve been through with my own health and what happened at the Oscars, thousands have reached out to me with their stories. I’m using this moment to give our alopecia family an opportunity to talk about what it’s like to have this condition and to inform people about what alopecia actually is.”

Directly addressing what happened, Pinkett Smith continued, “Now about Oscar night, my deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile,” she said. “The state of the world today, we need them both. And we all actually need one another more than ever. Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that’s keep figuring out this thing called life together. Thank you for listening.”

She went on to discuss the impact of alopecia and had guests whose lives have been impacted by the condition, including Niki Ball, whose daughter committed suicide after being bullied for her appearance.

For the benefit of anyone who might not be aware of what occurred on Oscar night this year, presenter Chris Rock, who was onstage to announce the winner of the Best Documentary Feature award, started joking about people in the audience.

Chris Rock presents the Oscar® for Documentary Feature during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

Amongst his targets was Pinkett Smith, who has struggled for years with alopecia and attended the event with a shaved head. “Jada, I love ya,” Rock said, reportedly unaware of her condition. “G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it. All right?” Though Smith initially laughed uncomfortably at the joke, Pinkett Smith was clearly unamused.

Things took a turn when Smith marched on stage and slapped Rock. The audience was at first wondering whether it was a comedy bit the pair had planned, though soon become convinced otherwise when Smith returned to his seat and shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!” more than once.

Though Smith would be back on stage later that evening to collect the Best Actor award for ‘King Richard’, the fallout continued to spread past the night.

The Academy board convened to discuss disciplinary action against the actor, but Smith got the jump on them and resigned from the Academy. He was still handed a decade-long ban from any events around the Oscars.

Smith has since apologized for his actions, saying in part, “I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us,” though debates have raged as to whether he was right to do what he did.

Since that apology, Smith has kept a low profile as projects he was attached to quietly returned to development limbo.

Oscar® nominee Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrives on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at the Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S.

June 1, 2022
Will Smith Predicted his Career would be “Destroyed” Ahead of Oscar Slap

Will Smith on Netflix’s ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.’

He might be keeping a low profile after the events of this year’s Oscars, but it appears Will Smith already foresaw himself getting into trouble a while before the event itself.

Sitting down with David Letterman for an episode of the latter’s Netflix talk series ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’, the actor made the usual pleasant chitchat and jokey banter with the comedian and host, but he also got candid about past struggles, including with alcohol and psychedelics.

“I drank, and it usually takes about 45 minutes to kick in. And I’m sitting there, and you always feel like, ‘Maybe it won’t kick in this time.’” Says Smith. “So, I’m drinking and sitting there, and then all of a sudden it’s like I start seeing all of my money flying away, and my house is flying away, and my career is going away.” The actor continues, “My whole life is getting destroyed.”

His vision also featured daughter Willow calling for help. “Then slowly, I stopped caring about my money, I just wanted to get to Willow. I stopped caring about my house, I stopped caring about my career,” Smith recalls. “This is my fear in real life, and I’m in there and I’m wanting to vomit and all of that, and I hear a voice saying: ‘This is what the f**k it is. This is what the f**k life is.’”

While no one is suggesting that Smith is psychic, it’s certainly an intriguing coincidence that he should talk about career damage some time before his incident a couple of months ago.

The slap, which will forever be seared into Hollywood – and particularly Oscar – history, happened at the Academy Awards on March 27th.

As comedian and presenter Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, her husband Will Smith marched on stage and slapped him.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. Photo via Twitter.

“Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2’? Can’t wait to see it,” Rock said as part of a short monologue that had previously been drawing laughs in the room. Pinkett Smith, who has recently spoken about her experiences dealing with alopecia, rolled her eyes at the gag. Seeing his wife’s discomfort, Smith took to the stage, walked directly up to Rock, and struck him on the face. “Will Smith just smacked the [expletive] out of me,” Rock remarked as Smith returned to his seat. Once he was sat down again, Smith repeatedly shouted at Rock: “Leave my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”

Smith would be back on stage later that evening to collect his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’. But the fallout has continued to trundle on: Smith resigned from the Academy, which in turn imposed disciplinary action including a ban on him attending its events for the next decade. He will, however, keep his award.

To watch the full interview, head to Netflix.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

May 23, 2022
Dave Chappelle Attacked On Stage During Comedy Set

Dave Chappelle in the Netflix Special ‘Sticks and Stones.’

Controversial comedian Dave Chappelle was reportedly accosted by a man wielding a plastic replica gun containing a knife while on stage at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix Is A Joke Festival on Tuesday night.

23-year-old Isiah Lee allegedly stormed on stage and tussled with Chappelle, who was initially taken aback, but managed to free himself before security grabbed the assailant.

Chappelle – who has caused fury for making jokes about trans and LGBTQ+ rights in recent stand-up specials – joked that his attacker was “a trans man.”

Jamie Foxx, who was attending the show, also took the stage to help security subdue the alleged assailant. Chapelle thanked him by quipping, “Whenever you’re in trouble, Jamie Foxx will show up in a sheriff’s hat.”

For his side of things, Foxx was more serious: “Listen, I just want to say…this man is an absolute genius. We’ve got to make sure we protect him at all times,” he said. “For every comedian who comes out here, this means everything. You’re a genius. You’re a legend, and we’re not going to let nothing happen to you.”

Chris Rock, who was also on the bill that night, came back out, hugged Chappelle and then made reference to his own recent, highly public onstage encounter, joking, “Was that Will Smith?”

Chris Rock presents the Oscar® for Documentary Feature during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

Lee is being held on $30,000 bail as per a statement from to LAPD Public Information Officer Mendez on Wednesday morning. According to the statement, Lee was transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the altercation leading to his arrested. After receiving medical treatment and being cleared for booking, Lee was booked for felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon. It’s unclear what motivated Lee to run onto the stage, or how he managed to enter the venue with the weapon.

Chappelle’s team released the following statement, downplaying the incident: “Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment.”

The statement continues: “As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show. Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening, hip-hop artists Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, a.k.a. Black Star, who performed music from their new album – the first in nearly 24 years – which was released on Luminary.”

Netflix released its own statement about the event: “We care deeply about the safety of creators, and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence.”

(L to R) Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld on Netflix’s ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.’ Special ‘Sticks and Stones.’

May 4, 2022
Will Smith Banned from Attending the Oscars for 10 Years

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Kyusung Gong / A.M.P.A.S.

After resigning from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences a week ago for slapping comedian Chris Rock at this year’s Oscar ceremony, the Board of Governors has decided that Will Smith will not be allowed to attend the ceremony again for 10 years.

You can read the full statement below from Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson:

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.

Of course, given Smith’s resignation, the Academy’s options were severely limited – it’s hard to sanction someone who no longer belongs to your organization.

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

And we’re sure there are those who would have preferred a more substantial response – a lifetime ban, for example, or refusing to re-admit him to the organization at all.

For his part, Smith offered a succinct statement on the new move. “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” he said. You can imagine his publicists hovering over his shoulder – or writing it for him to sign off on.

It’s a far cry from his emotional Instagram apology or the rambling, emphatic speech he gave upon winning Best Actor, which included nods to what had happened previously in the evening and included an apologetic line: “I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees.”

The Academy seems unlikely to stem the calls for more action – and we’re still waiting to find out what his acting union, SAG-AFTRA decides. He may end up banned from events including the Screen Actors Guild awards for just as many years. And it’s notable that the Academy statement isn’t a blanket ban on Smith being nominated in future.

In the wake of various companies and studios pulling back from or hitting pause on projects with the actor, his chances aren’t great for the foreseeable future, though he does still have Apple historical drama ‘Emancipation’ in the can. The tech company has yet to decide what to do with the Antoine Fuqua-directed movie.

That said, with an Oscar and a haul of other awards for his role as Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard in ‘King Richard’ it’s not like Smith needs to attend many more awards ceremonies anyway. It’s notable that the Academy chose not to rescind his trophy – though there have been previous winners who committed far more heinous acts who still have their Oscars.

There also continues to be differences of opinion as to what actually happened on the night following the slap, with the Academy board saying it had wanted the actor to leave but primary producer Will Packer leaving the control booth to specifically tell Smith that’s not what everyone preferred.

Rock, meanwhile, is still staying mostly quiet about the incident, aside from a few sneaky references while continuing his current stand-up tour. He’s said that he’s still “processing” what happens, so whenever he’s ready to talk, you know he’ll be a popular interviewee.

Chris Rock presents the Oscar® for Documentary Feature during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

April 8, 2022
Film Academy Moves Will Smith Disciplinary Hearing Date Up

Will Smith reacts to winning the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Kyusung Gong / A.M.P.A.S.

If Will Smith thought that resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the fallout of his slapping incident at the Oscars might avoid any consequences from that organization’s board, he’ll have to think again.

The Academy Board has decided to move up its disciplinary hearing from the originally planned April 18 to this Friday, April 8. That’s because since Smith resigned, the board is no longer required to give him advanced notice of the meeting, nor wait for him to provide a statement about his actions five days before such a meeting.

Here’s the message sent to the Governors by Academy president David Rubin, as acquired by Variety.

“Dear Fellow Governors,

I am calling a board meeting for this Friday morning, April 8, at 9:00 am PT, rather than the previously scheduled April 18 meeting, to address possible sanctions for Will Smith in response to his actions during the Oscars broadcast on March 27.

The April 18 date was set in accordance with California law and our Standards of Conduct because our agenda included possible suspension or expulsion of Mr. Smith from membership. We were required to provide Mr. Smith notice 15 days prior to the board meeting at which such action might be taken, and also give him the opportunity to provide the board a written statement no less than five days prior to that meeting.

Following Mr. Smith’s resignation of his Academy membership on Friday, April 1, suspension or expulsion are no longer a possibility and the legally prescribed timetable no longer applies.

It is in the best interest of all involved for this to be handled in a timely fashion.”

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Kyusung Gong / A.M.P.A.S.

As mentioned by the letter, since Smith is no longer part of the Academy, it can’t suspend or expel him. Still, there may well be further consequences, including an indefinite exclusion from future Oscar events, and even – though highly unlikely at this point – a demand he returns his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’.

For the three people who aren’t yet aware of the trigger point for all of this, Smith took to the Oscars stage on March 27th after Best Documentary award presenter Chris Rock made jokes about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith that referenced her shaved head. Pinkett Smith has alopecia and Smith, clearly unamused by the jokes, confronted Rock, slapped him and then returned to his seat, shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”

Minutes later, however, Smith was back on stage, tearfully accepted his Oscar and apologizing to the Academy and other nominees, though without mentioning Rock. He’s since put out a statement on Instagram mentioning the comedian and past Oscar host.

And we’re also waiting to see whether Smith’s acting union, SAG-AFTRA makes its own decisions about disciplinary action.

Beyond that, studios and production companies are currently backing away from projects that involve the actor – while Apple is likely to still release the movie ‘Emancipation’ in which he stars, Sony is considering whether to go ahead with a fourth ‘Bad Boys’ movie and Netflix has shoved an in-development movie called ‘Fast and Loose’ to the backburner.

Though it’s probable that the heat will cool on the incident, the ramifications will continue for the foreseeable future.

Denzel Washington and Will Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Kyusung Gong / A.M.P.A.S.

April 6, 2022
Studios Pausing Will Smith Projects in Wake of Oscar Incident

94th Oscars® nominee Will Smith at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

The fallout of the most infamous Oscar incident for years continues to be felt in Hollywood. A week since Will Smith strode on stage to slap comedian Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her bald head – a reaction to alopecia – studios are curbing their enthusiasm for working with the actor.

While Smith has been attempting damage control in the wake of the slap – he apologized while accepting his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’ and then again – including Rock – on his Instagram page. And then he resigned from the academy ahead of any potential sanction from the group (he’s still likely to face disciplinary action from there and his acting union, SAG-AFTRA).

But that hasn’t been enough to make studios and streamers want to stay in business with him in the wake of the incident.

Netflix had set up a crime thriller called ‘Fast and Loose’ with Smith aboard to star and ‘Deadpool 2’s David Leitch directing. The movie planned to tell the story of a crime boss (Smith) who loses his memory after an attack. Piecing together clues, he discovers that he has led a double identity as a wealthy kingpin and a broke CIA agent.

Leitch had pulled out of directing coincidentally before the Oscar weekend (according to The Hollywood Reporter’ because a project at Universal called ‘Fall Guy’ with Ryan Gosling starring had moved ahead in his schedule), but Netflix, confident that Smith would end up winning Best Actor, had started an urgent hunt for a replacement filmmaker to keep the movie on track.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

Yet now, ‘Fast and Loose’ is firmly on the back burner, at least in terms of Smith’s involvement. The company may well aim to have it up and running again with a new duo but appears happy to let the dust settle first.

Similar, Sony had been looking to get a fourth installment of the ‘Bad Boys’ franchise moving as quickly as possible following the box office success of ‘Bad Boys for Life’, which became one of the biggest earners in 2020 before the pandemic tool hold.

Smith had reportedly received script pages for the movie ahead of the Oscars, with the movie in active development, but all that is now on pause. The next ‘Bad Boys’ represents even more of a challenge than ‘Fast and Loose’, since Smith is (alongside Martin Lawrence) one of the recognizable icons of the franchise.

And then there are the variety of other projects that Smith was attached to, movies in different stages of development (the ‘Bright’ sequel and a remake of ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ among them) as both actor and, to a far greater degree, producer. It remains to be seen whether they move ahead without them, or, in the cases where he’s just a producer, quietly remove his name or proceed anyway.

Right now, it appears few people want to be in the Will Smith business. How long that will continue is anyone’s guess at this point.

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.
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April 4, 2022
Will Smith Resigns from Academy

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

On Friday afternoon, almost a week after slapping Chris Rock in the face during the Oscars broadcast, Will Smith has officially resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The actor, who won Best Actor on Sunday for his work in ‘King Richard,’ is facing “disciplinary proceedings” from the Academy’s Board of Governors, who were to decide his fate during at a meeting on April 18th. Smith may still receive punishment from the Board, but has formally left the organization.

Below is Smith’s full statement, which was provided to Deadline:

“I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable.

The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. 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.

So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate. Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”

This comes on the heels of a sometimes heated virtual meeting of the more than 50 Governors including the likes of Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay and Rita Wilson, after which Smith was informed that he had 15 days to respond in writing to their assertion that he violated the Academy’s standards of conduct with his violent behavior on March 27th. The group then was scheduled to meet on April 18th to decide next steps.

And yet, while expulsion had been put forward as a consequence, there has never been an indication that Smith will lose his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’. He will, however, no longer be extended the traditional invite to the previous year’s Best Actor winner to hand over Best Actress at next year’s 95th ceremony.

Plus, Smith’s resignation doesn’t mean he’s entirely free of consequences. “We have received and accepted Mr. Will Smith’s immediate resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” said AMPAS president David Rubin on Friday. “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 18th.” So there could yet be more ramifications to come.

And the Academy itself, along with main 2022 show producer Will Packer are hardly covering themselves in glory either, with conflicting accounts of whether Smith was asked to leave the Oscar ceremony. Packer went on ‘Good Morning America’ and said Rock hadn’t wanted the actor ejected, but Deadline has sources that say that no such conversation occurred.

It’s really turning into they said, he said, someone else said on this issue…

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. Photo via Twitter.

April 1, 2022
Will Smith was “Asked to Leave” Oscars Ceremony After Slapping Incident

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

The ramifications of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at last weekend’s Oscars continue to reverberate. And now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which oversees the awards, has made another statement about Sunday night’s incident and its response.

Following up its plan to convene a meeting of the Academy’s board to discuss the matter, the group outlines what steps it could take to sanction Smith for his actions on the night.

“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.

“Consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions, and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response. At the next board meeting on April 18th, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.

“Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.”

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

It went on to remark that attempts were made to have Smith leave the Dolby Theater in the immediate aftermath. “Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” continued the statement. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”

That has led to much outrage and mockery online about the response, which is being widely seen as inadequate.

Rock, meanwhile, hasn’t made a formal statement on the matter, but took to the stage for a stand-up show in Boston Wednesday evening and addressed the matter.

“How was your weekend?” he said, winking, drawing a wave of laughter. “I don’t have a bunch of [expletive] about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point I’ll talk about that [expletive]. And it will be serious and funny.”

And, at his second show, Rock revealed that despite earlier reports of a rapprochement between Smith and the comedian, there hasn’t been contact. “I haven’t talked to anyone despite what you may have heard,” he told the audience.

While Smith apologized to the Academy and the audience during his speech upon winning Best Actor on the night, and then to Rock via Instagram, this is one incident that seems destined to keep making news for a while to come.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. Photo via Twitter.

March 31, 2022
Will Smith Apologizes for Oscar Night Slapping Incident

Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

The story of Will Smith vs. Chris Rock at Sunday night’s Oscars continues to rumble on. And now Smith, who, after taking offense to a joke Rock made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, walked onto the stage and slapped him, has formally apologized to the actor/comedian for his actions.

Taking to Instagram, Smith wrote,

Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.

I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.

I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.

I am a work in progress.

Yet all the apologies in the world are unlikely to stave off responses from the likes of the Academy, which has opened an inquiry into the incident, kicking off with a formal statement. “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. 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.”

Chris Rock presents the Oscar® for Documentary Feature during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

Though it appears unlikely that the Academy will revoke his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’, there is always the chance he may be suspended from attending events, voting in future Oscars, or, at worse, kicked out of the organization.

And that’s not his only concern at this point – his acting union SAG-AFTRA, went further with its own statement. “As the union representing presenters and other performers working on the Oscars, SAG-AFTRA is focused on ensuring our members always work in a safe environment,” it said. “Violence or physical abuse in the workplace is never appropriate and the union condemns any such conduct.

“The incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable. We have been in contact with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC about this incident and will work to ensure this behavior is appropriately addressed. SAG-AFTRA does not comment on any pending member disciplinary process.”

Smith’s next movie to arrive is the Antoine Fuqua directed ‘Emancipation’, which chronicles the true story of Gordon, or “Whipped Peter,” a slave who escaped to the North and whose scarred back became a rallying cry for the abolitionist movement. Apple TV+ had been looking at it as a potential awards contender next year following its success with ‘CODA’, though it’s unknown what impact the incident will have on those plans.

Rock, meanwhile, besides his shocked onstage reaction to the slap, has yet to make a statement about Sunday night.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards. Photo via Twitter.

March 29, 2022