Not only did Will Smith slam at the Oscars, but he also refused to walk out after slapping Chris Rock in the face.
As the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) announced after a crisis meeting on Wednesday, after the attack on Rock on Monday night, Smith had asked to vacate his seat in one of the first rows in front of the Dolby Theater stage.
But the fifty-three-year-old refused.
About 30 minutes after slapping Rock, who compared Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head to Demi Moore's shaved skull in the soldier film GI Jane, the Academy still recognized the actor for his role in King Richard ' with an Oscar for best actor of the past year.
The film academy has now admitted that it did not respond appropriately to Smith's outbreak of violence.
"We would like to clarify that Mr Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused.
However, we admit that we could have dealt with the situation in a different way."
She also gave Smith two weeks to respond in writing.
The board of directors, which includes Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg and nearly 50 other filmmakers, is scheduled to meet on April 18 to decide on "disciplinary action such as suspension or expulsion from the Academy and other sanctions under the board's code of conduct." .
The film academy, which has hosted the Oscars for more than 90 years, was heavily criticized after Smith's slap in the face.
Many accused her of tolerating the behavior of the actor, rapper and producer.
Smith's acceptance speech, in which he tried to justify his outburst of violence with concern for his wife, was unexpectedly rewarded with a standing ovation.
The attacked presenter and comedian Rock made the first statement after the incident during a performance in Boston (Massachusetts) on Wednesday.
He was still in the process of “processing the whole thing”.
After Smith's slap, however, Rock had informed the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) that it would not press charges.