The 2023 Oscars is setting up a crisis team to ensure controversies like the slap gate don’t take place. Read to know more about the Academy’s latest plans.
All you need to know about the Oscars 2023
Gearing up for the 2023 Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is taking all the needed measures to avoid the possibility of another controversy. The need comes after last year’s academy awards when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for making fun of his wife. Rock while presenting an award called Jade Pinkett Smith, Will’s wide ” GI Jane” because of her shaved head from alopecia. The comment triggered the King Richard star who got on stage to slap the presenter. Additionally, after returning to his seat, he yelled “Keep my wife’s name out of your f*g mouth,” swearing at Rock.
However, after the event, Smith exclusively apologized to the academy and nominees. He also shared a video with a public apology to Chris Rock, the Williams family, and the Academy. Will Smith is banned from attending the Oscars for the next decade.
More on Oscar’s crisis team
The Oscars 2023 will be held on March 12 at the famous Dolly Theatre in Los Angeles. In an interview with Time Magazine, Academy CEO Bill Kramer revealed they have a “whole crisis team” to avoid a potential slap gate situation. “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,” stated Kramer.