Can Will Smith be nominated for an Oscar even if he is banned for slapping Chris Rock in 2022?
Will Smith has not been nominated in the 2023 Oscars but there are no rules to prevent him from being nominated in future.
Follow the Oscars ceremony 2023 live online
Something memorable always happens every year at the Oscars, but the 94th edition caught everyone off guard. A little jesting by the MC Chris Rock about Jada Pinkett Smith got under her husband’s collar. So much so that he marched on stage and gave the comedian a slap across the face on live TV.
While at first it seemed like it was part of the script, it became blatantly clear that it had been the real deal. Will Smith was allowed to stay, and even got to give a speech on stage when he won Best Actor, without mentioning the elephant in the room nor apologizing to Rock.
But the fallout came soon afterward. He resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences the week after. That was followed by a ten-year ban from attending Academy events. He did finally apologize to Rock as well.
Could Will Smith be nominated for an Oscar even though he is banned?
In short, yes, he could. Despite his dust up with Rock, Smith could be nominated by the Academy’s Actors Branch according to Variety. It would be up to the roughly 1,400 members to place him on the ballot for the vote that takes place between 12 and 17 January. Though he isn’t nominated for the 95th Academy Awards there remains the possibility he is in future years.
Were he to be nominated, even win the award, there would be one hitch, he would not be able to accept it in person nor as part of the broadcast.