Will Smith took the stage and hit Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about the shaved head of his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith then shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth,” while Rock, who looked upset, told the shocked audience, “Will Smith just popped my tangle.” Smith – who won the Academy Award for Best Actor a few minutes later for his performance in King Richard – now faces the prospect of disciplinary action by the Academy. On Wednesday night (March 30), the Academy’s board – which includes Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Spielberg and Laura Dern – held an emergency meeting to discuss the incident. Many have been left wondering what punitive measures the Academy will take against the actor, a longtime voting member. No actor has ever been stripped of his Oscar, but several stars have been recalled from attending the Academy. The moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars (AP) In his tearful acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the Academy and its candidates, saying, “I hope the Academy invites me back.” It remains to be seen whether Smith’s return will be allowed. Meanwhile, here are the five people who have been expelled from the Academy (also known as their revoked membership) in its 94-year history … Carmine Caridi Carmine Caridi as Albert Volpe in “The Godfather Part III” (Paramount Pictures) The protagonist of Godfather Part II Caridi was the first person to ever be expelled from the Academy. In 2004, he was fired for making preview copies and distributing them. The FBI investigated the actor after copies of Something’s Gotta Give, The Last Samurai, Mystic River, Big Fish and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World were said to have been found in Caridi. Federal authorities claimed that for at least three years, Caridi had given a man named Russell Sprague 60 copies of his films on his screen. Caridi named Sprague to the FBI in exchange for immunity and was sued by Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros. Register Harvey Weinstein (AFP via Getty Images) Hollywood mogul Weinstein was ousted in 2017, just a month after an explosive New York Times report brought to light allegations of sexual harassment against him. The council said its decision was “not just to separate ourselves from someone who does not deserve the respect of his colleagues” but also to send a message that the age of deliberate ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually abusive behavior and harassment in the workplace in our industry is OVER “. Weinstein’s brother, Bob, had urged the Academy to expel him, calling the producer “sick and corrupt”, adding: “I will write them a note saying they must expel him from the Academy.” Weinstein has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, but is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence for his crimes. Bill Cosby (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The Cosby Show actor – once known as “America’s Daddy” for his paternal role in the series – was fired in 2018, a month after being found guilty of sexual assault. He was convicted of drugs and assaulting former basketball player Andrea Constand in 2004. He was sentenced to up to 10 years, but has since been released and his conviction for sexual assault in 2018 was overturned. He has long denied any wrongdoing. Roman Polanski (REUTERS / Ina Fassbender) The director Polanski was expelled at the same time as Cosby, despite the fact that he pleaded guilty to having illicit contact with a minor until 1977 in the USA and escaped to France. The #MeToo movement that came after the revelation of Weinstein’s crimes put pressure on the Academy to take action against Polanski. In retaliation, Polanski filed a lawsuit against the Academy, which he lost. The academy said in a statement that its board “voted to expel actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from among its members in accordance with the organization’s Code of Conduct.” He added: “The Board of Directors continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to adhere to the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity.” Adam Kimmel (Getty Images) Filmmaker Kimmel, who worked on films such as Capote and Lars and the Real Girl, was fired in 2021 after reports surfaced of his history as a registered sex offender. Kimmel was arrested in 2003 and 2010 and has been charged with both counts of sex crimes against underage girls. After his first arrest, Kimmel pleaded guilty to third-degree rape. After the second, he was convicted of a felony D for not registering as a sex offender. Watch live updates on the Will Smith Oscar scandal here.
