The Academy launches a formal review of Will Smith after he hit Chris Rock

The glamour of the much-awaited Oscars 2022 was marred by the unpleasant incident that followed. Oscar winner Will Smith, hit Chris Rock the comedian who made an insensitive joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock made a joke about Jada’s shaved head. He said, “Jada, can’t wait for GI Jane 2” referencing the character who sports a shaved head. Jada’s hair loss results from the autoimmune disease alopecia.

Later that night, Will Smith was named the Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard. He used his time on stage to apologize to the Academy and to his fellow nominees. He, however, did not mention Rock in his apology. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Rock had refused to press charges and did not comment publicly about the incident.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has denounced his actions and opened an inquiry into the incident. Monday’s statement from the organization behind the Oscars said: “The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct, and California law.”

Post this, Will Smith took to his Instagram to issue a public apology. He wrote, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris”. In a statement, he also wrote, “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.” The Academy’s full Board of Governors will discuss the incident on Wednesday night. It is highly likely that Smith will be facing disciplinary actions or sanctions. However, it’s highly unlikely that he will have to forfeit his prize.