Actor Will Smith was given a 10-year ban from the Motion Picture Academy after his conduct at the 94th Oscars, where he slapped presenter Chris Rock onstage. This ban prohibits Smith from attending any Academy-related events, virtual or real, for the next decade. However, it is important to note that the ban does not affect his eligibility for future Oscar nominations.
With the upcoming Oscars just around the corner, the Dolby Theater is set to host top personalities from the entertainment industry, a tradition that dates back to 2002. As grand as the event is, not every Hollywood celebrity is guaranteed an invitation.
Reflecting on past controversies, last year, Will Smith received a 10-year ban for the infamous Slapgate scandal, while Richard Gere faced a 20-year ban for an onstage comment on China. These incidents highlight how some celebrities have been involved in controversy over the years.
Ahead of Oscars 2024, here’s a look at five other celebrities who have been banned by the Academy:
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein was permanently banned in 2017 after he was accused and charged with countless cases of s*xual assault. Weinstein’s expulsion came in 2017, with the Academy calling his actions “repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents.” (Via EW)
He was eventually convicted in court and is now serving a 23-year sentence in a Californian maximum-security prison.
Roman Polanski
Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski was expelled from the Academy in 2018 for the accusations of r*ping a minor.
The expulsion came more than 40 years after the incident. Polanski is known for critically acclaimed films like Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown.
The director was a member of the Academy and had won several nominations and two awards, even when he could not attend the award ceremony.
Carmine Caridi
The Godfather Part II actor Carmine Caridi became the first person i 2004 to be banned by the Academy Awards.
He was expelled by the Academy on the subject of copyright infringement. The actor was caught by the Academy for bootleg internet copies of Oscar Screeners. He passed away in 2019.
Richard Gere
Richard Gere was given a two-decade ban in 1993 after he criticized the Chinese government onstage at the Oscars.
“I wonder if Deng Xiaoping is watching this right now with his children and his grandchildren and the knowledge that what a horrendous human rights situation there is in China. Not only towards their own people but towards Tibet as well,” the Pretty Woman actor remarked before presenting the Oscar for Art Direction. (Via Business Insider)
In 2013, he was again invited back as a presenter.
Adam Kimmel
Before Will Smith, it was Adam Kimmel who was banned from attending the Oscars. The cinematographer of films like Lars and the Real Girl was arrested twice for assaults against minors. Kimmel was handed the ban after it was found that he had a history of s*xual offenses against minors.
In 2003, he pled guilty to assaulting a girl when she was 15 and 16 years old. Again, in 2010, he was involved in a fourth-degree assault on a minor.
