Will Smith gets 10-year Oscars ban over Chris Rock slap

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The motion picture academy has banned Will Smith from attending the Oscars or any other academy event for 10 years following his slap of Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.

The move comes after a meeting Friday of the academy’s board of governors to discuss a response to Smith’s actions.

The academy in a statement called Smith’s actions “unacceptable and harmful.”

Smith pre-emptively resigned from the academy last week during the run-up to the meeting and said he would accept any punishment the academy handed down.

Smith slapped Rock in the middle of the awards show after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s short hair. The actress suffers from alopecia.

Smith was allowed to remain at the show and won an Oscar for best actor later that night. He has since apologized to Rock and the academy for his actions.

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