Will Smith Resigns from the Academy
by Emily Nagle
Following his violent outburst at Chris Rock last weekend, Will Smith has announced that he will be resigning from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
In a statement, Smith shared, “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.”
According to an inside source who reported to CNN, members of the Academy “firmly asked” Smith to leave the ceremony following the incident, but he refused.
Smith’s online presence has been low-key since then, with the exception of an apology posted to his Instagram on Tuesday. Directed to Chris, the Academy, and everyone involved in and watching the ceremony, the black screen read, “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.”
Prior to Smith’s resignation, the Academy had scheduled disciplinary proceedings for Smith regarding violations of the code of conduct. Instead, they have accepted his resignation from the prestigious film organization.
As for what this means regarding Smith’s future, he will be unable to vote on Oscar nominees each year from this point forward. However, his work will still be eligible for future awards and nominations.