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Will Smith has been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years

The Academy’s board have made the decision to accept Will Smith’s resignation as a member, and further ban him from any academy evens for a decade.

Will Smith will not be allowed to attend the Oscars until at least 2032, after the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided in a board meeting that a 10-year ban from Academy events was a suitable punishment for slapping Chris Rock at this year’s ceremony.

The board revealed their decision in a letter sent to Smith, punishing him for “the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.”

Will Smith Slap
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars | Credit: Robyn Beck/Getty

Will Smith replied to the letter, writing, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”

Ah, the smell of actually having to face the consequences of your own actions.

Read the full letter below.

“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.

Thank you,

David Rubin and Dawn Hudson”