In wake of the Academy saying that Smith was asked to leave but refused, several reports have emerged. Deadline's Anthony D'Alessandro and Dominic Patten report Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson "had a discussion with Smith’s rep, bouncing around the idea of the then-pending King Richard Best Actor winner departing the Dolby Theatre. Smith’s rep approached the actor with the suggestion, and he reportedly told her via a well-placed source that night 'I want to make this right, I want to stay and apologize.'" According to Variety's Brent Lang, Matt Donnelly and Clayton Davis, "some Academy members expressed that they wanted Smith removed, but they also say that no formal or explicit ask was ever made. Another person familiar with the Academy said that Smith was asked to leave through an on-site representative. That call was made by Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, who, a source says, asked for Smith to leave the show instead of remaining in the auditorium for the rest of the telecast. Show producer Will Packer, sources inside the Dolby said, was the key to Smith remaining in his seat. In the roughly 30 minutes following Smith’s attack on Rock, before the award for best actor was presented, Packer walked out into the orchestra and conferred with Smith, according to two witnesses. Packer said that he and the production 'officially' wanted Smith to stay for the remainder of the show, according to one of the witnesses. Another source close to Packer denied that the producer urged Smith to remain."
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TOPICS: Will Smith, ABC, 94th Academy Awards, Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg, Award Shows, Film Academy