Will Smith walked onto the stage at the 2022 Oscars and slapped comedian Chris Rock on one of his worst days in a row. Just over a month before the next awards show, the Academy has admitted to not acting fast enough.
Janet Yang spoke to a packed room of Academy members at the 2023 nominees luncheon about the incident last year, notnaming anyone by name. They were certain they should have done more, and they were shocked by the response.
Yang believes they have learned a lot from the confrontation and have stated that they will now act "swiftly, compassionately, and decisively," although it's difficult to see whether this means they think Smith's penalties are too harsh or too harsh.
The 2023 ceremony has already sparked controversy, although it isn't on the same level as physical assault. Best Actress nominee Andrea Riseborough was under fire for potentially lobbied to get her in To Leslie, while she and director Michael Morris were deeply implicated. The Academy has cleared her and the director of any wrongdoing, but said it would use the incident as a learning tool.
The 2023 Oscars will be held on March 12 in Hollywood.