Academy Reportedly Split On Taking Back Will Smith's Best Actor Oscar

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Everyone wants to know if Will Smith will lose his Oscar.

It seems that not even the Academy knows that question. Although the initial disciplinary hearing was scheduled to be held on April 18, that meeting has been moved up to Friday, April 8… today.

Even though the hearing is happening in only a few hours, it seems that the Academy hasn’t decided whether or not they plan to take back his Oscar.

A source close to the Academy Board of Governors told The Sun that the members are “completely split” over whether or not Will Smith’s Oscar should be taken back after he slapped Chris Rock at the 94th annual Academy Awards.

Smith stormed the stage and slapped Chris Rock after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss condition, known as alopecia. After he slapped him, the “King Richard” actor took his seat and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f---ing mouth” twice. He took the stage later on that night to claim his first-ever Best Actor Oscar.

The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now meeting to decide what disciplinary measures will be taken against Will Smith as a result of the incident. The “Pursuit of Happiness” actor has since resigned from the Academy, which means that suspension and expulsion are automatically off the table.

However, it’s possible that they could take back his Oscar, and the source told The Sun said “The members — of which there are over 9,000, with hundreds of WhatsApp groups flying about — are completely split.”

The source explained that “The decision was made earlier this week to expedite the hearing in the wake of Will’s resignation, and, during that call, it was clear that the decision would go to the wire.”

The insider revealed that there have been multiple calls “with various members, and specific governors over the past ten days.” The 54-member jury, which consists of 30 men and 24 women, is reportedly at a “50/50 impasse” over whether or not Will Smith should be allowed to keep his Oscar.

“The governors themselves are also said to be in disagreement,” the source said. They pointed out that Will Smith's actions pale in comparison to the disgraced convicted sexual predator Harvey Weinstein or Roman Polanski. Although both controversial figures were expelled from the Academy Awards, they were still allowed to keep their golden statues.

“But, as we all know, Hollywood is a law unto itself, frankly,” the source quipped. The only Oscar that the Academy has taken back in its 94-year history is the “Young Americans,” which had its 1969 Oscar for Best Documentary retracted after the board discovered that the film had actually come out in 1967.

Smith posted an apology on Instagram on Monday, the day after he slapped Chris Rock. He began his post by saying, “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive.”

“My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” he continued. “Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

“I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world,” he went on. “I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.”

“I am a work in progress,” he concluded. “Sincerely, Will.”