Will Smith’s talent agency denies reports that they contemplated dropping him following his Oscars slap.
With news still bubbling about Will Smith’s Oscars slap, it was reported that Will Smith’s talent agency was currently considering dropping the actor due to the incident. Earlier today, Smith’s agency Creative Artist Agency (CAA) addressed the report, and stating that there was no truth to the claims.
Earlier in the week, the Daily Beast reported that CAA executives Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane, and Richard Lovett were torn over whether or not to drop Smith from the agency following the infamous slapping incident.
According to the Daily Beast, the conversation about Smith’s future took place during CAA’s leadership retreat in California. The report also specified that Lourd was the one who thought the agency should part ways with Smith, while Lovett, the actor’s personal rep, did not want to lose the acclaimed star.
News of Smith’s agency potentially dropping him traveled fast, but came to no surprise. Not long after the Oscars, it was also rumored that the Academy itself was deliberating on whether or not to remove Smith as a member. This prompted Smith to resign from the Academy himself, likely before the Academy had the chance to take action.
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In his formal apology and notice of resignation from the Academy, Smith noted how his actions were inexcusable, and how they took away the shine from the others meant to be celebrated that night.
“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.” The Academy accepted Smith’s resignation, and replied with the next steps in this process.
“We have received and accepted Mr. Will Smith’s immediate resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” they wrote. “We will continue to move forward with our disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, in advance of our next scheduled board meeting on April 18.”
Shortly after the Daily Beast published their report, a spokesperson for CAA confirmed to the publication that the company denies that any debate over Smith’s future with the agency ever took place.
“There is no truth to any of it,” the spokeperson said. “Simply never happened.”
It’s unclear whether or not the CAA frontrunners did in fact meet to discuss Smith’s contract with the agency, but as of right now it seems that there are no plans to drop the King Richard actor.
