Could the Academy Make Will Smith Give His Best Actor Trophy Back?
It would be hypocritical of the organization, but they could still do it.
The Academy has never taken back awards. But after last night's Oscars ceremony, during which Best Actor winner Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock, many are wondering if there will be repercussions.
Especially after the Academy sent this cryptic tweet last night.
There have been no other official statements from AMPAS yet, but the New York Post hypothesized that Smith could be asked to return his Oscar because of the Academy's code of conduct.
The conduct code was released in 2017 in the wake of the #MeToo sexual misconduct scandal that hit Hollywood. You can read about the code of ethics here.
In part, it reads:
“In addition to achieving excellence in the field of motion picture arts and sciences, members must also behave ethically by upholding the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity, inclusion, and a supportive environment that fosters creativity. The Academy asks that members embrace their responsibility to affirm these principles and act when these principles are violated.“
There's nothing slap-specific, but you could certainly read it that way. As I said in the opener, this would be unprecedented. And I don't really think they would want to stir anything up or create more controversy, so this all could be swept under the rug.
Chris Rock has declined to press charges, the LAPD said in a statement.
"LAPD investigative entities are aware of an incident between two individuals during the Academy Awards program. The incident involved one individual slapping another. The individual involved has declined to file a police report. If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report."
We'll keep you updated as the aftermath unfolds. Check out the full list of Oscar winners if you haven't already.
