The Academy Initiated Disciplinary Action Against Will Smith

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has initiated disciplinary actions against the actor Will Smith for slapping comedian Chris Rock onstage during the Academy Awards on Sunday.

The Academy has said on Wednesday that Mr Smith had been notified of a vote on his actions and could be heard by the board through a written response. The academy could also take disciplinary action as soon as its next board meeting on April 18. Disciplinary action could include suspension, dropout, and other sanctions, the Academy said.

The Academy also said that after the incident took place, it asked Mr Smith to leave the Dolby Theatre. But the actor refused to leave the ceremony.

Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on the Oscars stage after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair. Jada Pinkett Smith is Will Smith’s wife is suffering from Alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.

Smith described Rock's joke as a deliberate blow to his wife's illness. “Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” he wrote.

According to the organisation’s guidelines, the academy can revoke Will Smith’s academy membership as the potential repercussion of the slap. It also holds the authority to take back its Oscar, a highly unpopular move according to a poll taken the day after the Oscars.