LOS ANGELES — The motion picture academy announced Wednesday that it is initiating disciplinary proceedings against Will Smith following an altercation at Sunday’s Oscars in which the actor slapped Chris Rock and shouted profanities over a joke the Oscar presenter made about Smith’s wife.
In a statement, the academy also revealed that the organization, which has taken criticism from its own members for not removing Smith from the Dolby Theatre after the assault, attempted to explain its own actions that night, saying Smith had been asked to leave the ceremony but refused.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the group said in a statement. “While 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.”
