Leaked Letter from ‘Outraged’ Academy Execs Reveals Next Steps for Will Smith

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is promising to take some form of unspecified action at some future date over the incident at the Oscars awards show Sunday night in which actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock.

A letter to members that was obtained by Variety says that, “To be clear, we condemn Mr. Smith’s actions that transpired Sunday night.”

“Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Oscars was meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year. We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior on stage by a nominee,” the letter said.

The letter said, “the Academy’s Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Mr. Smith. As governed by California law regarding members of nonprofit organizations like the Academy, and set forth in our Standards of Conduct, this must follow an official process that will take a few weeks.”

In indicating that not much may happen for some time, the letter asks those to whom it was sent “that you respect your Board, Academy staff and the process as this unfolds, so it can work in the considered way it was intended and mandated.”

“Please trust that the Board of Governors will conduct this process in a manner that is both expedient and respectful of all involved while maintaining the standards of the Academy,” concluded the letter from David Rubin, president of the Academy, and Dawn Hudson, its CEO.

The slap was apparently triggered by a joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, although video of the incident shows that when Rock first made the joke, Smith appeared to offer a polite smile. After the incident, the show continued as if nothing had happened, and Smith later received an Oscar for best actor.