Academy confirms ‘crisis team’ in place for Oscars 2023 after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in last year’s ceremony

In the aftermath of the Will Smith slap fiasco last year, Academy has confirmed that it will introduce a “crisis team” in order to handle real-time incidents that take place during this year’s Oscars. Academy chief executive Bill Kramer told Time magazine that the unit had “run many scenarios” hoping that they will be “prepared for anything”.

In the interview, Kramer said that because of last year’s Oscars ceremony, the academy has opened its minds to “many things that can happen at the Oscars” noting that they are now “quicker” to react should an incident similar to last year takes place.

Sending shock waves to viewers across the globe, Will Smith walked to the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head. Will Smith’s wife Jada had shaved her head following her diagnosis of alopecia. Upon returning to his seat, Will Smith repeatedly shouted “Keep my wife's name out your [**] mouth" at Rock.




Moreover, despite the incident, Will Smith remained at the ceremony and later took home the award for best actor for his performance in King Richard. He later resigned from the Academy but the organisation took more days to make a decision on his membership. Will Smith is now banned from the Oscars gala and other Academy events for a decade.

According to Kramer, the new “crisis team” would be able to gather “very quickly” to issue a response on the night of the show. However, he stated that “let’s hope something doesn’t happen” so that they have to use their plans involving the Oscar “crisis team” which has been already deployed.

FAQs:

1. When is Oscars 2023?
   13 March 2023
2. When did Will Smith marry Jada Pinkett?
   31 December 1997