Academy leaders meet Will Smith before emergency board meeting

WASHINGTON: Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Variety, that the leaders met with Smith on Tuesday to discuss his attack on Chris Rock during the live telecast of the 2022 Oscars ceremony, on Sunday.

The outlet was informed that Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson had a conversation with the 53-year-old actor on Zoom about the fallout from the assault during Sunday's Oscars telecast. "The talk lasted for roughly 30 minutes," according to what the source told Variety.

Smith apologized again to Rubin and Hudson for his action during their "brief" conversation and also expressed his awareness that there would be consequences and tried to explain why he snapped when Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith's hair, who has alopecia. Following that meeting, the Academy announced that Smith had violated the group's code of conduct and faced "suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions."

The Academy also revealed that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony following the incident, but he refused. For a recap, while presenting the best documentary feature at the Oscars, comedian Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head.

Rock said he couldn't wait to see Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, star in 'G.I. Jane 2' which led Smith to go up on stage and slap Rock. Smith returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife's name out of your fu**ing mouth!" A few minutes after the incident, Smith was announced Best Actor at the 94th Academy Awards. While accepting his first-ever Oscar for best actor (leading role) in 'King Richard', Smith apologized to the Academy and fellow nominees but did not mention Rock.

Following a rage of backlash over social media, including from the Academy, Smith took to Instagram on Monday to apologize to Rock. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Rock declined to press charges against what happened at the Oscars 2022 ceremony.