The Academy Awards event has always been about iconic moments that live on in pop culture. But every now and then, the spotlight shifts for the wrong reasons. That is exactly what happened in 2022, when an unexpected clash between Will Smith and Chris Rock stunned audiences around the world.

The aftermath was impossible to ignore, and it came at a steep cost for the Independence Day star, who was later banned by the Academy. Now, years later, fans are waiting for the actor to return to the Oscars. Is he eligible to return to the awards event this year?

The onstage altercation involving Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards will remain one of the most controversial incidents in Oscars history. Following the incident, the Academy’s Board of Governors imposed a 10-year ban on the actor, barring him from attending any Oscar ceremonies or related events. Since the ban officially began on April 8, 2022, Smith will not be eligible to return until 2032.

The incident occurred while Chris Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary. During his introduction, Rock made a joke involving Jada Pinkett Smith.

 "Jada, I love ya. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see ya,” he said.

 And moments later, Smith walked onto the stage and struck Rock, leaving the audience visibly stunned. After returning to his seat, Smith shouted angrily toward the stage, which further escalated the situation. Nearly two weeks later, the Academy announced its decision to ban him, which will continue even this year. 

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The incident has since become one of the most talked-about moments of the Oscars. Now, Smith is not the only one who was banned or expelled from attending the historic event; Carmine Caridi was also met with the same fate. 

There have been previous incidents where actors or directors have been banned or expelled from the Oscars. Back in 2004, the Academy expelled actor Carmine Caridi. Caridi, best known for his role in The Godfather, had been an Academy member since 1982 and regularly received Oscar screeners sent out for awards consideration. 

According to Caridi, the situation began after a man named Russell Sprague repaired his broken VCR. Caridi agreed to lend him a few screeners, a practice that quietly continued and even expanded, with tapes being mailed back and forth. In a later interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Caridi admitted he often sent the films before even watching them himself. 

Eventually, the FBI caught on, calling Caridi into their Los Angeles office and offering him immunity if he cooperated. In February 2004, the Academy’s board of governors voted to expel Caridi. While the ban ended his long-standing relationship with the Academy, Caridi later said he did not blame the organization, acknowledging that he had broken its rules. 

 Will Smith was not expelled from the Academy, he was instead handed a decade-long ban from attending Oscar ceremonies. However, these incidents show that the Academy is quite serious about its rules. And breaking them could lead to serious consequences. 

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What do you think about Will Smith’s decade-long ban? Let us know in the comments section below.