Following the events of the 94th Academy Awards, Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars — here is what that punishment really means. For his performance as Richard Williams in King Richard, Will Smith bagged his first Oscar win. However, his historic moment, alongside the triumphs of his fellow actors, was overshadowed by controversy. As a result, for a period of ten years from April 8, 2022, Smith is banned from attending the Oscars and other events of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
After his altercation with Chris Rock, Smith has been subjected to criticism, with many demanding an apology for his action and an investigation on the issue. He then issued a formal apology, but the Academy’s Board of Governors already intended to pursue disciplinary proceedings against the actor. Five days later, Will Smith officially resigned from the Academy, but just a week after, he received an even greater punishment. This decision then raises questions about Smith’s career and future in the Academy.
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Despite making headlines and getting banned from the Oscars, Will Smith has retained his Oscar win. Additionally, for the next ten years, he will still be eligible for Academy Award nominations and wins in the future. However, should he win again — which might not be easily replicated in the near term — he will not be allowed to accept the award either in-person or virtually. Instead, a representative will do that for him. Regardless, Smith’s fate in the Academy, whether he might be nominated, allowed to win, or reinstated, remains in the hands of the Board of Governors.
However, because the Bad Boys and Men in Black star Smith resigned before any further steps were taken, the Academy’s disciplinary options were limited. As a result, he will only be no longer entitled to the benefits of his membership. He will not be receiving screeners of films, and consequently, he will not be able to cast his votes for the Oscars. Aside from being banned from the awards shows and related events, Smith will also miss the tradition of presenting the Academy Award for Best Actress next year.
Unsurprisingly, the terms of Smith’s punishment could have been worse. The Academy could have completely stripped him of his eligibility for future nominations and awards, or rescinded his Oscar. But because the Academy did not even rescind the awards of their expelled members and convicted sex offenders Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski, it would be hypocrisy on their end to take away Smith’s Best Actor Oscar win. Not only will it be an unfair, harsher sentence for Smith to experience that punishment, but it would also certainly cause an uproar in the industry. After all, Will Smith’s projects are reportedly on hold in the aftermath of his Oscars controversy, and that is an implication already heavy enough.
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