The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday鈥檚 Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.
The academy鈥檚 board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group鈥檚 standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.
Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.
鈥淭hings unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,鈥� the academy said. 鈥淲hile 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.鈥�
A representative for the academy declined to give specifics on how it tried to removed Smith. After Smith struck Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, several stars including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry spoke with the 53-year-old Smith.
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The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The film academy earlier condemned Smith鈥檚 onstage assault of Rock, but it used stronger language Wednesday.
鈥淢r. Smith鈥檚 actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television,鈥� the academy said. 鈥淢r. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.鈥�
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying 鈥淚 was out of line and I was wrong.鈥�
Rock, who had yet to respond publicly to the incident, performed stand-up Wednesday night in Boston. He was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation.
鈥淗ow was your weekend?鈥� began Rock who then cautioned the crowd that he didn鈥檛 have a lot to say yet about the Oscars, according to audio posted by the Hollywood trade outlet Variety. 鈥淚鈥檓 still kind of processing what happened鈥�
A representative for Smith didn鈥檛 immediately respond to messages Wednesday regarding the academy鈥檚 latest moves.
Only a very small number of academy members have ever been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.
Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the academy鈥檚 board of governors, said Monday on 鈥淭he View,鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to take that Oscar from him.鈥� (Even Oscars won by expelled members haven鈥檛 previously been ordered to be returned.) Goldberg added that 鈥渘obody is OK with what happened鈥�
Others from Sunday鈥檚 telecast also began speaking out. Co-host Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. When he returned to his seat, Smith twice shouted at Rock to 鈥渒eep my wife鈥檚 name out your (expletive) mouth.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 still a little traumatized by it,鈥� said Sykes in a clip released Wednesday.
Within an hour, Smith was back on stage accepting the award for best actor for his performance in 鈥淜ing Richard.鈥� Many in the Dolby Theatre gave him a standing ovation.
鈥淚 was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and that鈥檚 it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross,鈥� Sykes said. 鈥淚 wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, 鈥楿h, unfortunately, Will couldn鈥檛 be here tonight.鈥欌��
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