"While we wish to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and declined, we also recognize that we could have handled the situation differently," the Academy of Arts and Crafts wrote in a statement. film science, which awards the Oscars.

It was a joke from Chris Rock about the shaved head of Jada Pinkett Smith, suffering from alopecia - a disease causing severe hair loss, which she revealed to suffer from a few years ago - which sparked the scandal on Sunday evening .

Will Smith suddenly got on stage and slapped Chris Rock under the dumbfounded gaze of celebrities and viewers.

The 53-year-old artist, who won the Oscar for best actor shortly after the incident for his role in "The Williams Method", has since issued a public apology to Chris Rock and the Academy of Oscars.

The Academy's Board of Trustees met on Wednesday and "initiated disciplinary proceedings against Will Smith for violations of Academy policies, which include inappropriate physical contact, abusive conduct or dangerous and compromising the integrity of the Academy," the statement said.

The institution queen of American cinema gives the actor a period of at least 15 days before the Academy decides, thus offering him "the opportunity to be heard by means of a written response".

A possible "disciplinary action" against him will be discussed at a meeting scheduled for April 18, she adds.

It could include the suspension or exclusion of Will Smith from the Academy, which has nearly 10,000 members.

Oscar night was overshadowed by Will Smith's slap in the face of comedian Chris Rock ANGELA WEISS AFP

Harvey Weinstein, a disgraced Hollywood magnate convicted of rape and sexual assault, was expelled from the Academy in the midst of the #MeToo movement in 2017. A few months later, she also expelled director Roman Polanski and actor Bill Cosby.

"Sick"

Many in Hollywood are calling on the organization to punish the star for his act of violence, which they say unfairly eclipsed the night's other winners.

In a letter to members of the Academy on Wednesday morning, the leaders said they were "outraged" by the incident.

"The broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday was meant to be a celebration of the many people in our community who have done an incredible job over the past year," reads the letter, signed by the Academy's president, David Rubin, and General Manager Dawn Hudson.

“We are shocked and outraged that these moments have been overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior of a contestant on stage,” they continue.

Actor Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith at the 94th Academy Awards, March 27, 2022 in Los Angeles Angela WEISS AFP/Archives

Will Smith ended up apologizing on Instagram, apologizing to both Chris Rock and the organizers: "What I did was inappropriate and I was wrong. My behavior last night at the Oscars was unacceptable and inexcusable. "

Chris Rock, who did not wish to file a complaint after his assault, has not spoken publicly since then.

He was to perform on stage Wednesday evening in Boston during a show that was sold out and whose resale ticket prices have soared since this unfortunate publicity.

Wanda Sykes, one of three presenters who hosted the Oscars gala evening, said the incident literally "sickened" her.

"And I'm still a little traumatized," she said on a talk show hosted by comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

A comedian herself, Wanda Sykes felt that Will Smith should never have been allowed to stay in the room and receive his trophy after such a gesture.

"It sends the wrong message. If you assault someone, they kick you out of the building, period," she said.

The actress told Ellen DeGeneres that she spoke to Chris Rock after the Oscars party and the first thing he did was apologize.

"Why are you apologizing? He said + It was supposed to be your evening", with the two other presenters "you were doing a great job. I'm sorry that now we're only going to talk about that", a- he said, according to Wanda Sykes.

© 2022 AFP