According to a new statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Will Smith was asked to leave the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony after hitting Chris Rock, but refused.
The board of governors of the organization behind the Oscars have initiated a process to discipline Smith for violating the group's standards of conduct. The board will make a decision on what action it will take at its next meeting on April 18.
The Academy said in its statement that Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. We apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during the event.
The incident occurred during the last half of the ceremony when Rock told several jokes before announcing the winner for best documentary. One joke aimed at Jada Pinkett Smith's hair prompted her spouse, Smith, to slap Rock.
Uncensored international feeds picked up the two stars yelling profanities at each other as ABC cut out the mics.
Audiences have been wondering why Smith wasn't removed from the ceremony after the altercation. It's not clear how or when he was asked to leave, but he stayed at the theater and accepted the award for best actor later in the evening.
The Academy acknowledged that it could have handled the situation differently.
Smith apologized to Rock on Monday, calling his behavior "unacceptable and inexcusable." He had previously apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees during his speech on Sunday.
Rock will make his first public appearance on Wednesday night in Boston, where he will perform two shows at the Wilbur Theatre. Second-market ticket sales have gone up.
The full statement from the Academy can be found here.
The Board of Governors initiated proceedings against Mr. Smith for violating the Academy's Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.
The notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions will be given at least 15 days before a written response is given. At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy can take any action that is allowed by the standards of conduct.
Mr. Smith's actions at the 94th Oscars were traumatic to witness in person and on television. We apologize to Mr. Rock for what he experienced on our stage and thank him for his resilience in that moment. We apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during the event.
Things happened in a way we didn't expect. We would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, but we also know we could have handled the situation differently.
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