Was Will Smith Really Asked To Leave The Oscars? Sources say no

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences claimed to have requested it will Smith To leave on Sunday Oscars Party after being slapped Chris Rock. However, sources close to the situation refute that the actor has been officially urged to leave the show. It appears that in the chaos surrounding the altercation, the Academy and the show’s producer sent a mixed message about whether Smith should be expelled from the event.

In an update on the pending disciplinary action against Smith on Wednesday, the organization said Smith “refused” to leave the Dolby Theater. He won Best Actor for his performance in “King Richard” later that night.

This description of events does not fit well with the few individuals who have knowledge of the charged minutes after the slap of the rock. They claim that some members of the Academy have expressed a desire to remove Smith, but also say that no formal or explicit request has ever been made. Another person familiar with the academy said Smith was asked to leave through a representative on site. The call was made by Academy President David Rubin and CEO Don Hudson, who the source said asked Smith to leave the show rather than stay in the auditorium for the rest of the telecast.

Sources inside Dolby said the show’s producer Will Packer was key to Smith staying in his seat. Approximately 30 minutes after Smith attacked Rock, before the Best Actor award was presented, Packer walked out into the orchestra and smacked Smith, according to two witnesses. Packer said he and the production “officially” wanted Smith to stay for the rest of the show, according to a witness. Another source close to Packer denied that the producer had urged Smith to stay.

Packer did not respond to requests for comment. Smith and AMPAS spokespeople declined to comment.

Several A-captains, including Denzel Washington, Tyler Perry and Bradley Cooper, were seen having close conversations with Smith in the theater during commercial breaks after the slap. Cooper hugged the upset actor, while Washington and Perry reportedly consoled him. No security personnel approached the actor.

When Smith accepted his award, his speech lasted for several minutes straight, much longer than the time given to the other winners.

Smith assaulted Rock after the comic made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaven head, stating that she was supposed to appear in “GI Jane 2.” Pinkett Smith said she suffers from hair loss due to alopecia. Smith apologized to the rock band on Monday and said that “the joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to handle and my reaction was emotional.”

The academy is investigating the incident. The group said on Wednesday that Smith faces “suspension, expulsion or other sanctions” for his actions. The organization also apologized to Rock.

“Mr. Rock, we apologize for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience at that moment,” the group said in a statement. “We also apologize to our nominees, guests, and viewers for what happened during what should have been a celebratory event.”

The rock band had not been contacted prior to the academy’s release on Wednesday. Another source says it was the first official apology issued to the comedy after Sunday’s telecast.