Oscars

Can Will Smith go to the 2025 Oscar ceremony? Is he invited or banned?

Many remember him as one of the Men in Black, or even as the charming Fresh Prince, but what happened on stage with Chris Rock is an abiding memory.

BRIAN SNYDER

Calum Roche

Sports-lover turned journalist, born and bred in Scotland, with a passion for football (soccer). He’s also a keen follower of NFL, NBA, golf and tennis, among others, and always has an eye on the latest in science, tech and current affairs. As Managing Editor at AS USA, uses background in operations and marketing to drive improvements for reader satisfaction.

Update: Mar 2nd, 2025 11:31 EST

Hollywood has a long memory, and when it comes to the Academy Awards, few moments have been as unforgettable as Will Smith storming the stage at the 2022 ceremony to slap comedian Chris Rock. The incident overshadowed his Best Actor win for King Richard and led to swift disciplinary action from the Academy. But now, with the 2025 Oscars here, the question lingers: can the former Fresh Prince attend, or is he still banned?

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The Smith-Rock slap that shook the Oscars

You probably remember it—because who could forget? During the 2022 Academy Awards, Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, referencing G.I. Jane. Pinkett Smith, who has been open about her struggles with alopecia, didn’t find it amusing. Initially laughing along, Smith then marched onto the stage and delivered an open-handed slap to Rock’s face, before returning to his seat and yelling, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth.”

You want to relive it? OK, here you go...

The unscripted moment left the audience in stunned silence, with Rock attempting to brush it off as “the greatest night in the history of television.” Meanwhile, Smith sat back down like nothing had happened – until, of course, he had to return to the stage 40 minutes later to accept his Best Actor award. The speech was tearful, apologetic, and awkwardly devoid of any direct apology to Rock. The internet, naturally, went into overdrive.

How long is Will Smith banned from the Oscars?

While Smith won the Oscar that night, he lost a lot in the fallout. The Academy faced immediate backlash for letting him stay at the ceremony, and in the days that followed, they scrambled to respond. Smith resigned from the Academy, meaning he could no longer vote on Oscar winners, and issued a formal apology to Rock.

Then came the official punishment: a 10-year ban from all Academy events, including the Oscars. This means Smith is not allowed to attend the ceremony - whether as a nominee, presenter, or even just an audience member – until 2032.

In the meantime he’ll keep in the news.

Has the Academy ever lifted a ban before?

Hollywood loves a redemption story – although usually on screen and scripted – but historically, once the Academy hands out a ban, it tends to stick. The list of banned individuals is short, and most of them were expelled for far more serious reasons, including sexual assault allegations (Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski) or film piracy (Carmine Caridi).

Richard Gere, though, was reportedly given a 20-year ban in 1993 for criticizing China’s human rights abuses on stage – but he was later welcomed back. The difference? His offense was political, not physical. Smith, on the other hand, disrupted Hollywood’s biggest night in the most public way possible. Great for ratings, less so for reputations.

2025 Oscars: how to watch

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The entire cast got an Oscar

It’s worth noting, for anyone who hasn’t been paying attention, that Smith’s career didn’t exactly collapse after the slap, but it did take a hit. Some projects were put on hold, and public perception shifted. But Hollywood tends to forgive in time – just ask Mel Gibson. Smith has since starred in Emancipation and is set to return in Bad Boys 4, so he’s not exactly exiled from the industry. Let’s see how long until he’s getting jiggy with the Oscars crowd once again.

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