Actor Harry Lennix Calls for Will Smith to Return His Oscar to ‘Redeem the Integrity’ of the Academy Awards
Variety comes just a day after the Academy announced a 10-year ban of the “King Richard” star from the Oscars, which Lennix likened to a “little more than an extended time out for a playground bully,” calling it a “toothless penalty that lays bare the shallowness of Hollywood morals.” The Academy’s decision does not preclude Smith, who earlier resigned from the Academy, from receiving nominations or awards during that decade, but only bans him from attending them.“Smith needs to express-mail his golden trophy back to the Academy and publicly state something to the effect of: ‘Out of respect for the 94 years of honor conferred upon this award, I do not in good conscience feel worthy of being its custodian,’” Lennix wrote, adding that only the actor can “redeem” the show’s integrity. Lennix also ripped Smith’s acceptance speech later that evening, saying, “This attempt to explain his actions added to the travesty of this ethical catastrophe. In couching his acceptance speech as somehow submitting to the will of God, Smith abdicated personal accountability.”“The Blacklist” actor further went on to say that Smith’s “brutality stripped the entire evening of its prestige,” adding that his actions created an “existential crisis” for the awards show.