On April 1—two days after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ (AMPAS) Board of Governors initiated self-described “disciplinary proceedings” against Will Smith over his slap of Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars—the King Richard winner pre-empted the harshest punishment that he could have received and left the organization of his own will, Deadline reported.
On March 30—after a sometimes contentious virtual meeting of the more than 50 Governors, including Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay and Rita Wilson—Smith was informed he had 15 days to respond in writing to their assertion that he violated the Academy’s standards of conduct with his violent behavior on March 27.
The group was then scheduled to meet on April 18 to decide Smith’s fate.
The exit by Smith from AMPAS also comes as further controversy swirls about how Smith was asked to exit the Dolby Theater on March 27 after striking and screaming at Rock on live TV after he cracked about Jada Pinkett-Smith’s hair.