The Hollywood Academy said on Wednesday that actor Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars on Sunday after slapping host Chris Rock in the face.
The Academy said it asked Smith to leave the ceremony, but the actor refused. Likewise, the entity announced that it has initiated a “disciplinary procedure” against Smith for violating the rules of conduct.
Shortly after the incident, Smith won the Oscar for best actor for his role in “King Richard.”
Smith, who has already apologized for what happened, hit Rock after he made a joke about the shaved head of Jada Pinkett, actress, wife of Smith and who suffers from alopecia problems.
“We asked Mr. Smith to leave the ceremony and he refused, but we also recognize that we could have handled the situation differently,” the Academy said in a statement.