Nobody wants that to happen last year, when angered by a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, actor Will Smith got up from his seat and slapped live, live and for the whole world to gala host Chris Rock. For this reason, this edition of the Academy Awards, the 95th, will be characterized by “an entire crisis team“to prevent unforeseen events from happening at the 2023 gala.
This was announced by the director of the Hollywood Academy, Bill Kramer, in an interview with the magazine Time.
“We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and we will put other protocols in place after considering various scenarios,” Kramer explained this Wednesday about this Hollywood Academy’s “unprecedented” decision in its 96 years of history.
Act fast and together
The director of the Academy explained that the “planning” was based on the creation of “a series of structures and communication teams” to meet as quickly as possible and act together if an unforeseen event occurs.
“Because of what happened last year, we opened our minds to all the things that can happen at the Oscars. This way we won’t decide on the fly which group to convene, who will be the spokesperson or the format of the statement,” added Kramer.
Just ten days ago, the president of the Hollywood Academy, Janet Yang, admitted the organization mishandled the slapping case that Smith gave to Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscar ceremony.
“What we experienced last year was unacceptable and our response fell short. It was a game-changer to act with more transparency and accountability,” Yang said at this year’s candidates’ luncheon.
For the history of the award
The 94th Academy Awards were marred by the famed actor slapping the comedian after the latter joked about the shaved head of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, who suffers from alopecia.
The audience watched in amazement and a few minutes later the performer took the stage again to receive the Best Actor award for his work in the film. King Richardabout the father of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
The Academy didn’t take action until days later, when it banned Smith from attending the Oscars for the next ten years.
For this reason, they have taken some measures this year that they hope will come into effect at the 95th presentation of these awards, which will take place on March 12 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles (United States).
It is worth mentioning that there will be an Argentinian presence at the ceremony. The film by Santiago Miter Argentina, 1985, starring Ricardo Darin and Peter Lanzani, competes for the Oscar for best foreign language film. It’s not easy for him, he will have to face No news at the frontGerman film which boasts nine nominations and has just won seven BAFTA awards in Great Britain.
Of course, no one would want that in case of victory Argentina, 1985 German director Edward Berger rises to slap Mitre, Darín or Lanzani. That’s what the crisis team is for.
Source: Clarin
