Oscar winner for Best Actor in 2022, Will Smith, resigned from the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Hollywood on Friday, the 1st, after slapping Chris Rock at the ceremony last Sunday, the 27th.

In a statement sent to Deadline, Will said he will fully comply with all decisions of the Academy for his conduct, which he called “shocking, painful and inexcusable”. He said he is ‘heartbroken’ and wants the focus to be ‘on those who deserve attention for their accomplishments’. “Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I will never again allow violence to overtake reason,” he said in the statement. Last Wednesday, a virtual meeting brought together 50 members of the Academy to discuss the case. They ruled that Will had 15 days to respond in writing to the claim that he violated the Academy’s standards of conduct. On April 18, a new meeting will take place to define the actor’s future. According to Deadline, there is no possibility of withdrawing Will’s statuette for his work on ‘King Richard: Raising Champions’. The most likely punishments would be a long suspension and no invitation to the 95th Academy Awards next year.

Check out Will Smith’s full statement:
I have responded directly to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice and will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards were shocking, painful and unforgivable. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, everyone in attendance, and the global audience back home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I have deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their outstanding work. I’m heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their accomplishments and allow the Academy to get back to the amazing work it does to support creativity and art in film. So, I’m resigning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I will never again allow violence to overtake reason.