Oscars organisers claim Will Smith was asked to leave the Academy Awards following his altercation with Chris Rock, but he refused, and by doing so broke the code of conduct.
Will, 53, made headlines in recent days after he slapped Chris around the face following a joke he made about the Men in Black actor’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
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Comic Chris joked about Jada – who has alopecia – and her shaved head.
This prompted Will to stride onto the stage and slap him across the face in front of a huge star-studded audience.
Chris said he will not press charges against Will.
Now, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have said they did ask Will to leave the ceremony – but he refused to.
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The organisation said in a statement: “Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated.
“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.”
Many people asked why Will was able to remain seated in the audience after the slap, but it appears the academy has set the records straight.
The academy’s board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the actor for violations against the group’s standards of conduct.
Organisers said he has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18 .
The academy said disciplinary action for Will could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.
Photo Credit: Getty
