Will Smith resigns from film academy over Chris Rock slap

Oscars 2022: Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage for a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. (Image credit @sam/Twitter)

Will Smith resigned Friday from the motion picture academy following his Oscars night slap of Chris Rock and said he would accept any further punishment the organization imposed.

A spokesperson for Smith issued a statement from the actor Friday afternoon.

I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable, Smith said in the statement.

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Smith’s resignation came two days after the academy met to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the groups standards of conduct.

On Sunday, Smith strode from his front-row Dolby Theatre seat on to the stage and smacked Rock, who had made a joke at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

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Rock, who was about to present Oscar for best documentary, declined to file charges when asked by police.

Smith strode from his front row seat on to the stage and slapped Rock after a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when he was on stage to present the Oscar for best documentary.

On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying "I was out of line and I was wrong."

The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18.

Rock publicly addressed the incident for the first time, but only briefly, at the beginning of a standup show Wednesday night in Boston, where he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. He said I'm still kind of processing what happened.