Will Smith can ‘earn his way back to’ Oscars amid 10 years ban ‘as long as he accepts…'
Will Smith's future at the Oscars depends on his acceptance of responsibility for the 2022 incident, according to three-time Oscar winner Paul N.J. Ottosson.
Will Smith's 10-year ban from the Oscars doesn't necessarily spell the end of his Academy Award journey. According to three-time Oscar winner Paul N.J. Ottosson, there might be a chance for him to return in the future. However, this path to redemption comes with a key requirement: acceptance of responsibility for his actions at the 2022 ceremony. Even with the box office success of Bad Boys 4, Smith's exclusion from the Academy Awards will remain in effect but he can still ‘earn his way back.’
Will the Oscars roll out the red carpet for Will Smith again?
Smith's journey to reclaiming his Oscar attendance could depend on showing real regret for his ‘slap incident’ with Chris Rock that rocked the whole country. A member of the Academy Awards committee, a renowned audio engineer who has worked with Smith previously, shared some thoughts on the possibility of his comeback.
However, he did mention that although Smith's previous successes won't sway the Academy's opinion on the slap's repercussions, as reported by the Mirror, he can still restore his “Hollywood gala night stature” by maintaining success, outstanding behaviour, and sincere remorse.
In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Ottosson expressed personal forgiveness for Smith but insisted the ban must remain. "Well, I think as a human being, we should forgive. As long as he accepts what he did was wrong. But as a private institution, we have the right to ban something that we do not tolerate. And if we tolerate it, we say this is acceptable. But by giving him a punishment, we don't accept it,” he said.
Will Smith 'can earn his way back'
"We're going to punish you for a bit, but you can come back and you can earn your way back and show your way back," Ottosson said, adding that it's hard to predict yes or no right now given that Smith has done such a fabulous job in his career. Ottosson has previously worked with Smith on the Men In Black movies. However, he stressed the fact that anyone would want to call the police if someone just smacks you in the face while you are walking on the street.
The star who bagged Oscars for The Hurt Locker believes in second chances but underscores consequences for unacceptable behaviour. Understanding Smith's state of mind at that time, when millions watched the event live while the host poked fun at his family member, the committee members acknowledged it might have been uncomfortable for him. However, he did say, "We all have to try to restrain ourselves. We get upset about many things in life and sometimes we act on them when we shouldn't."