Actor Will Smith announced in a statement today that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
“I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate,” Smith said in a statement.
“Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason,” he said.
After the embarrassing episode at Sunday night’s Oscars, where Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock, the Academy had announced earlier this week that it had “initiated disciplinary proceedings” against Smith.
David Rubin, President, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said in a statement today that the organisation had received and accepted Smith’s “immediate resignation”.
“We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18,” Rubin added. (CNN)
