Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars last year. (Image courtesy: AFP)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are taking all the preventive measures to avoid another possible slapgate situation at this year's Oscars. Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, during an interview with Time magazine revealed that the Academy has a "whole crisis team" this year, to avoid any possible controversies. Asked if there are any measures to avoid potential surprises, Bill Kramer told Time: "Absolutely. And that's why you want someone like Jimmy (Kimmel) on stage who is used to dealing with live TV. Things don't always go as planned. So you have a host in place who can really pivot and manage those moments. But we have a whole crisis team, something we've never had before, and many plans in place. We've run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we're planning for just in case it does happen."
The need for a special "crisis team" comes a year after Will Smith-Chris Rock's slapgate at the 94th Academy Awards. Last year, Chris Rock appeared on the stage to present an award, where he made a joke about Will Smith's wife and actor Jada Pinkett Smith being in "G.I. Jane" because of her shaved head (she suffers from a condition called alopecia), which triggered The Pursuit Of Happyness actor, who slapped Chris Rock and returned to his seat and yelled, "Keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth."
After the slap incident, Will Smith had exclusively apologised to the Academy and the nominees. A few days later, he posted a public apology on Instagram, addressing Chris Rock, the Williams family and the Academy. Will Smith had won Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams, father of tennis stars Venus and Serena. A couple of months later, the actor released a video, in which he especially apologised to the comedian-actor.
This is the video that Will Smith posted.
Meanwhile, Will Smith has been banned from attending the Oscars for the next 10 years. The Academy took disciplinary action against the King Richard star who slapped and swore at Oscar presenter Chris Rock for a joke he made at the expense of Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett.
The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12 at Los Angeles' Dolly Theatre.