They’re attempting to get ahead of any drama.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences can have a “crisis team” on standby on the 2023 Oscars, a yr after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in a shocking moment that overshadowed Hollywood’s biggest night, TMZ reported Wednesday.
The outlet cited unidentified Academy insiders who reportedly said the designated team will have the opportunity to spring into motion on the March 12 ceremony if things go awry.
“We now have a complete crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and lots of plans in place,” the sources allegedly told TMZ. “We’ve run many scenarios. So it’s our hope that we will likely be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate immediately but that we’re planning for just in case it does occur.”
The Post has contacted a rep for the Oscars for comment.
A yr ago, the “Men In Black” actor, 54, walked onstage and slapped the 58-year-old “Everybody Hates Chris” alum after he made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, 51, and her bald head.
Rock reportedly didn’t know that Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia, a disease that causes hair loss.
No motion was taken against Smith until days after the viral incident. As an alternative, he delivered a tearful acceptance speech for his first-ever Oscar win and sang along to his own songs at an afterparty.
However the move ultimately resulted in Smith being suspended from the Academy for 10 years.
The “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” rapper publicly apologized to Rock in July and claimed the “Grown Ups” funnyman was “not ready” to speak with him one-on-one.
Rock, meanwhile, has reportedly turned down opportunities — including a Super Bowl business alongside Smith and a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey — to publicly address the slap, as a substitute reflecting on it at his comedy shows.
He was also reportedly asked to host this yr’s Golden Globes and Oscars — but declined.
On the organization’s luncheon hosted for this yr’s Oscar nominees, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President Janet Yang spoke about last yr’s disastrous disruption.
“I’m sure you all remember we experienced an unprecedented event on the Oscars,” she said, based on Variety.
“What happened onstage was fully unacceptable, and the response from our organization was inadequate,” Yang declared.
“We learned from this that the academy have to be fully transparent and accountable in our actions — and particularly in times of crisis you could act swiftly, compassionately and decisively for ourselves and for our industry. You must and may expect no less from us going forward.”
Two-time Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel will once more front this yr’s awards show live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 12 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
