After the altercation at the Oscars 2022, is it possible that Will Smith will lose his Oscar? While comedian Chris Rock was on stage to present the award for Best Documentary, he made a few jokes at the expense of the stars in attendance, including one about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair loss. This led to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock live on TV in a dramatic moment that was one of the Oscars 2022's biggest surprises, overshadowing many of the evening's awards.
The Oscars 2022 marked Smith's third Best Actor nomination - the first two for his respective performances in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness - for his role in King Richard. 2022 proved to be Smith's year, and he won the award, although the moment was somewhat tarnished by the actor's outburst earlier in the ceremony. Smith made apologies during his speech to the Academy and to his fellow nominees, but there was no forthcoming apology to Rock directly.
Reactions to Smith slapping Rock have been distinctly divided, with some believing Smith's reaction was justified, and others condemning his violent approach. However, despite the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock being broadcast on live television around the world, the Academy has yet to make any announcement regarding specific repercussions for Smith, leading many to speculate if the Academy will rescind Smith's Oscar. According to new reports, Will Smith may not lose his Oscar, but he may be temporarily suspended from the Academy. A formal review is now underway; once completed, the Academy should determine what the next course of action will be for Will Smith and the Oscars ceremonies going forward so that something like this never happens again.
In 2017, the Academy introduced a code of conduct in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations specifically designed to hold its members to a standard of behavior befitting the example they set. While Smith arguably breached this code of conduct, his emotional response to a joke that made light of his wife's medical condition has been defended by many. Taking his Oscar on these grounds would be difficult to justify to those who believe his actions were somewhat reasonable, especially considering his swift and tearful apology.
The moment Will Smith won his first Oscar was overshadowed by his actions, and the manner of his acceptance was tarnished. However, Rock has declined to file a police report, making it unlikely that Smith will face any legal repercussions. In addition, the Academy has yet to take back Oscars from previous winners in the wake of scandal - Kevin Spacey still has both of his Oscars after allegations of his sexual misconduct were brought to light - and taking Smith's after the slap would set a tricky precedent with a potentially problematic message.
These factors combined make it unlikely that Smith will lose his Oscar, but this decision will ultimately be made entirely at the Academy's discretion. Smith's actions may have breached the Academy's code of conduct, but the actor's emotional response to Rock's comments about Jada Pinkett Smith was seemingly an attempt to defend his wife's honor. As such, taking away Will Smith's award would be a divisive move for the Academy to make, even after the big stir Smith and Rock caused at the Oscars 2022.