“I am calling a meeting of the board of directors for this Friday morning, April 8 at 9:00 a.m. PT, rather than the meeting previously scheduled for April 18, to address possible sanctions for Will Smith in response to his actions during the Oscars broadcast. March 27. “, Academy President David Rubin said in a letter obtained by CNN on Wednesday.
“The date of April 18 was set in accordance with California law and our standards of conduct, as our agenda included the possible suspension or expulsion of Mr. Smith,” the letter said. “We were required to provide Mr. Smith with 15 days’ notice of the board meeting at which such action might be taken, and also to provide him with an opportunity to provide the board with a statement written at least five days before this meeting.
According to the letter, in light of Smith’s resignation from the Academy last Friday, “suspension or expulsion is no longer possible and the legally prescribed timeline no longer applies.”
“It is in the interest of everyone involved that this be handled in a timely manner,” Rubin wrote.
Smith slapped Rock after the comedian and actor made a joke from the Oscars stage about Jada Pinkett Smith’s cropped hair.
“Jada, I love you, ‘GI Jane 2’, can’t wait to see it,” Rock said when receiving the Best Documentary Award.
Smith then came on stage, punched Rock, went back to his seat, and yelled at the comic, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!”
Shortly after, Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie “King Richard.”
Academy Moves Up Board Meeting to Discuss Will Smith’s Slap and Consequences (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/Hv5jkg8R7e
— Variety (@Variety) April 6, 2022