We’re betting this isn’t an April Fools’ joke. After slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, Will Smith announced in a Friday statement that he has now resigned his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “I betrayed the trust of the Academy,” he wrote. “I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.” On March 30, the Academy initiated disciplinary proceedings against Smith for his behavior at the 94th Academy Awards. Smith said in his statement that in addition to his resignation, he would accept “any further consequences the Board deems appropriate.” The Best Actor winner has been on a bit of an apology tour since the March 27 awards ceremony. He previously publicly apologized to Rock and the rest of the world on Instagram, and reportedly also personally apologized to the Academy’s president and CEO over Zoom. In his latest statement, Smith reiterated that he is sorry for what happened. “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” he said. He concluded by committing to “never again allow violence to overtake reason.”
