LOS ANGELES — On Wednesday, three days after a shocking altercation at the Oscars in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over a joke about his wife, the motion picture academy announced that it is initiating disciplinary proceedings against Smith and said that the actor — who went on to win the lead actor prize later that night — had been asked to leave the Oscars after the incident but had refused.
“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the organization said in a statement.
The organization said that the disciplinary action — “which may include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct — will be voted on by the group’s 54-member board of governors, which includes such notables as Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay and Laura Dern, at a meeting on April 18.
