For the past few days, The Academy has been investigating Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars. The Academy has been seeking to punish him for his actions and amid the ongoing investigation, Smith announced today he would be resigning his membership.
“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.”
While Smith has since apologized to Rock for his actions, sometimes an apology just isn’t enough. He could still face disciplinary actions from the Academy, thoght. On Sunday Rock did state he didn’t want to press charges and still is “processing” what happened earlier this week.
