Due to the veto that the entity imposed on him this Friday, the actor could only attend the Oscar ceremony again in 2033.
Although he will be able to keep the statuette he won the same day he hit Chris Rock, and industry sources They indicate there is no prohibition for him to be nominated as long as the punishment is extended, in the immediate future his professional life is in check, accumulating canceled projects and premieres in suspense.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had already outlined the outcome of the story more than a week ago: Will Smith faced imminent expulsion or suspension as a member of the organization, in addition to “other sanctions permitted by the regulations and statutes of conduct” of the Academy. the entity.
A range of options in rebuke for the slap he gave to Chris Rock at the last Oscar ceremony, on March 27, the sc--dal that overshadowed any triumph of that day and any other Hollywood situation so far this year.
For his part, the main protagonist of the altercation had eliminated two of these possible forms of punishment, after presenting his voluntary departure from the group through a letter shared five days later.
Without the possibility of firing or suspending him, this Friday the Academy decreed that the Men in Black actor is completely prohibited from attending future editions of the awards and any event (virtual or in-person) organized by the institution. The period of time established for this veto is ten years from yesterday, so an eventual return of Smith to the gala could be sealed only at the beginning of 2033, when he will be 64.
Although it is not the first violent or controversial event that the ceremony has witnessed, due to the profile of those involved and the subsequent embarrassment, the performer's aggression is unprecedented. The same applies to the measure decided to apply by the entity's board of directors, which declared itself outraged by the “unacceptable and harmful behavior that we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.”
The star will be able to keep the Oscar he won for King Richard: A Winning Family, but the sanction has other loopholes: could he be nominated or win a new statuette even though he will not be able to attend the awards ceremony? The first reports indicate yes. At least two industry sources consulted by The New York Times assure that he would be eligible for any of the categories (in addition to being an actor, Smith is a producer, a role that led him to be a candidate for Best Picture with the film that gave him his last leading role. And in principle nothing would prevent him from participating in the parties that take place at the end of the appointment and that do not depend on the Academy.
So, a valid question would be to ask if during the next decade, despite his punishment, a favorable climate will be generated for him to once again be a key figure in the awards season. His next letter to aspire to recognition, the drama Emancipation, met a series of attributes that could make her a serious contender. But, in light of the controversy, it is difficult to imagine that Apple TV+ (which has just triumphed with CODA) can launch it with great fanfare without presenting it as the “new Will Smith movie”, a nickname from which Netflix and Sony have already fled. , who had projects in development with the actor and chose to put them on pause.
Like many elements of this case, the revitalization of his professional life will have to go hand in hand with unpredictable elements, a script of complex preparation and execution by his public relations team. And because he is one of the most charismatic and close stars with his followers - via Instagram - it does not seem feasible for him to opt for silence either, the strategy that allowed Tom Cruise, for example, to recover from the biggest crises in his career. he.
Will Smith has at least one point in his favor: strictly speaking, he was not expelled from the Academy, as was the case with Harvey Weinstein at the end of 2017 - amidst the dozens of accusations of s---al abuse against him - and months later with Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski, both convicted of s---al assault and dismissed by the organization as the antithesis of “ethical standards” and “respect for human dignity.”
Of them, the only one who still has a career is Polanski, a fugitive from American justice for decades despite being convicted of raping Samantha Geimer when she was 13 years old. In a different time in the medium, he won the Best Director award for The Pianist in 2003 - a distinction that has never been revoked - and today he continues filming in Europe.
