Hollywood is abuzz with activity tonight. Celebrities are eagerly donning their tuxedos and evening gowns in readiness for the 97th Academy Awards. It's easily Tinseltown's biggest night, when fans all over the world toast to the winners of the prestigious gold statues. But a few people won't be wearing their best finery and climbing into stretch limos. They have been officially banned from attending the Oscar night festivities, per People. What did these Academy members do that made them so unwelcome at the film industry's most elite gala? Let's take a look at each one - Will Smith, Roman Polanski, Carmine Caridi, Adam Kimmel, Bill Cosby, and Harvey Weinstein.
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By the way, the Academy has rigorous Standards of Conduct. Per the outlet, "The group emphasized that members should 'act in a manner consistent with the good reputation of the Academy' and condemned "physical contact that is uninvited and, in the situation, inappropriate and unwelcome."
Will Smith
It was truly the slap heard around the world. Three years ago, Will Smith became enraged at a lame joke that Academy Awards presenter Chris Rock told about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. He suddenly and unexpectedly strode right up on stage and hit Rock in the face. The audience was aghast and shocked. Smith was later "banned...from attending any Academy events or programs for the next 10 years."
Roman Polanski
The acclaimed director got expelled from the Academy because in 1977, he pled guilty to "unlawful sexual intercourse" with an underage girl. Polanski served a little more than a month in jail, then left the country prior to the end of his 90-day sentence. He was a fugitive for years and now resides in Europe.
Carmine Caridi
Caridi, who passed away six years ago at age 85, "regularly received advance screeners from distributors," per the outlet. Caridi was lending them to someone, who was copying them. When the FBI got wind of this arrangement, they gave him immunity and he identified his associate. Caridi was expelled from the academy 21 years ago. According to People via The Hollywood Reporter, Caridi evidently said he understood why he was punished because he broke the rules of the Academy.
Harvey Weinstein
Weinstein faced sexual assault allegations after bombshell articles in the New York Times and the New Yorker in the fall of 2017. This led to the genesis of the renowned #Me Too movement. Per the outlet, "The producer was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault, and an additional 16 years in 2023 after being found guilty of the same in Los Angeles."
Bill Cosby
Seven years ago, Cosby was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. He was expelled from the Academy shortly after. His conviction was overturned four years ago.
Adam Kimmel
The Academy expelled Kimmel, a cinematographer, when it came to its attention that he "is"had a history as a registered sex offender." He was ousted in 2021 following a 2020 Variety expose.
