What does Will Smith’s resignation from the Academy mean for the actor

When Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Academy Awards on Sunday, after the comedian made fun of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, sent shock waves through the industry. Then, shortly after, Smith returned to the stage Acceptance Academy Award for “Best Actor”.

In the days following the accident, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Smith Peers Owns convicted his actions. Smith I apologise to Rock on Monday, while Rock said during a Wednesday night stand-up show in Boston that he is Still being processed what happened.

After his public apology, Smith announced his resignation from the Academy on Friday – leaving many wondering what the actor’s resignation would mean for his future.

What is an academy – and why do people join it?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded in 1927 and an elite group began putting together the Academy Awards – which hand out the Academy Awards – in 1929, according to Academy website. It currently has 10,000 members 17 branches Film industry ranging from writers and actors to makeup artists and PR.

Membership reviews take place once a year in the spring, and those hoping to arrive must be sponsored by two members of the Academy currently in the branch they are seeking admission to. However, Academy Award nominees are automatically considered for membership and do not require sponsorship.

Academy members have access to many perks, including the right to vote for those nominees in their branch and vote for the best photo. They also get exclusive access to nominated movie screenings.

What does resignation mean for Smith?

When he resigned from the Academy, Smith relinquished those above privileges. But his resignation does not mean that he will lose an Oscar for his role in “King Richard”. He may also be nominated again in the future and invited again to the party, according to diverse.

But the academy announced last week that it was reviewing the incident and would hold a disciplinary meeting for the actor on April 18. Smith can be punished If it was discovered he was wrong during the review, but it is not yet clear whether the Academy will go so far as to receive the “Best Actor” award he won.

Although many members have been expelled from the academy in the past, including Harvey WeinsteinFew of them quit. according to the peoplePeter Kurland, an Academy Award-nominated voice mixer, and Tom Fleischman, an Oscar-winning recording mixer, resigned last month after the Academy decided to stop broadcasting parts of the show.

Helen Ray

Helen Ray is the Director of Social Media at CBS News. She is also a digital reporter focusing on culture and technology.