Will Smith violated the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ code of conduct, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The actor, who went on stage and did appear to slap Chris Rock after the actor cracked a joke about Smith’s wife during the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night, was asked but refused to leave, according to The Associated Press.
“The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s standards of conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy,” the statement said.
Smith has been given 15 days’ notification of a vote on his infractions and potential punishments, and he has the opportunity to provide a formal reply, according to the Academy’s statement. The next board meeting is scheduled for April 18, according to Variety.
According to the entertainment website, the committee called an emergency meeting to decide the actor’s potential repercussions.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the academy said in its statement. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”
Embed from Getty ImagesAccording to the Associated Press, an academy official declined to comment on how the academy tried to remove Smith from the ceremony.
Rock, a presenter at the Academy Awards, was presenting an Oscar for best documentary feature.
He was threatened by Smith after the actor responded negatively to the comedian’s “G.I. Jane 2” joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith appeared to hit Rock as he walked onto the stage.
Embed from Getty ImagesAccording to the Associated Press, Pinkett Smith has a bald head and continues to suffer from alopecia, a hair-loss condition.