After slapping presenter Chris Rock on stage at last weekend’s Academy Awards, Will Smith announced in a statement Friday that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
« I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate, » Smith said in a statement shared with CNN by his publicist. Smith’s statement concluded, « Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason. » After the embarrassing episode at Sunday night’s Oscars, The Academy announced on Wednesday that it had « initiated disciplinary proceedings » against Smith. David Rubin, President, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said in a statement Friday that the organization has received and accepted Smith’s « immediate resignation. » « We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr.
