4 Apr – Not long after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) Board of Governors announced that it will be initiating a disciplinary proceeding against Will Smith, the actor announced that he is leaving the organisation voluntarily. In a statement released to the media, the actor, who sparked backlash after slapping Chris Rock during the event last week for the latter's joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett, expressed, "I have directly responded to the Academy's disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct."
At the same time, Smith, who also won Best Actor at the event for his performance in "King Richard", stated that he is committed to make a change and ensure that he will never again allow violence to overtake reason. In response to his withdrawal, AMPAS president David Rubin stated, "We have received and accepted Mr. Will Smith's immediate resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy's Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18." Smith is known to have been a member of AMPAS since 2001.