Man of Steel's Harry Lennix Says Will Smith "Must Return" Best Actor Oscar
There are a lot of opinions on Will Smith's actions during the Academy Awards. Some think Smith should be severely penalized, while others feel like he should just get a slap on the wrist. No matter how you slice it, the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences has already taken action. But it seems that their actions aren't enough for one actor. In a new op-ed for Variety, Man of Steel star Harry Lennix penned a scathing essay where he calls for Smith to give his Oscar back.
"At this point, the only person who can redeem the integrity of the Oscars is Smith himself. He needs to come to grips with the gravity of the offense he committed: slapping Rock, live on March 27 in front of millions on the Academy Awards stage," Lennix wrote. "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.'"
The Man of Steel star is pretty adamant about the matter. Lennix concluded the essay by once again stating that Smith must return his Oscar. "The stain on the Motion Picture Academy cannot be easily remediated. The only hope for a justifiable grace must involve Smith voluntarily returning his award for best actor."
Lennix's comments come after The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences officially banned the actor from attending the awards ceremony for ten years after a short deliberation period. The actor was previously forced to resign from The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences and released an official statement on the resignation. You can read Smith's resignation below.
"I have directly responded to the Academy's disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable. The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film. So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate. Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason."
Do you think Will Smith should return his Oscar? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @NateBrail up on Twitter!