Will Smith Oscar ban: Academy doles out punishment for Chris Rock slap

After upstaging the Oscars by slapping Chris Rock in the face, actor Will Smith has been dealt some punishment, and it is severe.

Per The Academy, Smith will be banned from The Oscars and other film academy events for a full decade. There was some talk of banning him for life, but obviously that seems a bit severe given the circumstances.

For those unfamiliar, Smith did not take kindly to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and her condition of Alopecia. It’s unclear if Chris Rock knew of her condition before making an ill-timed joke.

Rather than pulling Rock aside after the event, or simply looking upset on camera to send a message, Smith went on stage to deal with the situation himself. The result was an Oscars moment for the ages.

Is Will Smith banned from the Oscars?

Yes, Smith will not be able to attend the event for a full decade.

The actor has since apologized for lashing out at Rock and handling the situation poorly.

“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. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

Apology or not, these two clearly still have some things to work out in private. For now, Smith can rest easy knowing his punishment wasn’t as severe as it could’ve been.