For all its glamour and tradition, the Academy Awards have not just been a destination for acclaim, they’ve also served as a stage where Hollywood’s most polarizing figures have fallen out of favor.
Beyond the velvet ropes and flashing cameras, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has, on rare but notable occasions, barred certain celebrities from attending or participating in Oscar ceremonies, whether due to controversy, professional conduct, or disputes with the institution itself.
From artists whose outspoken behavior alienated industry peers to performers sidelined for crossing lines of public decency or professional expectation, the list of Academy banishments reads like a mirror to the industry’s shifting values.
Will Smith
At the 94th Academy Awards in 2022, actor Will Smith walked onstage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after a joke about his wife during the live broadcast. The incident overshadowed the ceremony and drew widespread reaction.
Shortly afterward, Smith resigned from Academy membership and the Academy’s Board of Governors announced that he would be barred from attending Oscars ceremonies and Academy events for 10 years in response to conduct that violated the organization’s Standards of Conduct.
Harvey Weinstein
Film producer Harvey Weinstein, once a powerful figure in Hollywood whose projects earned hundreds of Oscar nominations and many wins, was expelled from the Academy in 2017.
The Academy took action following widely reported allegations of serious misconduct that emerged in 2017, leading to a formal vote by the Board of Governors that his continued membership was inconsistent with the values of the organization.
Roman Polanski
Actor Carmine Caridi became the first person ever expelled from Academy membership in 2004, after an investigation found he had shared advance screening copies of nominated films with others.
These “screeners” were intended only for Academy voters to view eligible movies before voting, and the unauthorized distribution was viewed as a serious breach of trust, leading to his expulsion.
Carmine Caridi
Actor Richard Gere was effectively discouraged from participating in Oscars events in the early 1990s after using his time onstage to speak about a political issue unrelated to the ceremony.
At the 1993 Oscars, Gere and others made comments about human rights concerns that the Academy felt were outside the scope of the broadcast, leading to a temporary banning‑type response.
Although this restriction was later lifted and he returned to Oscars stages in later years, it remains one of the earliest well‑known instances of the Academy pushing back on a performer’s participation.
Richard Gere
In 1993, actor Richard Gere was shut out of Oscar consideration and attendance after a public dispute with the Academy over The Cotton Club, a film in which he starred. Gere criticized the Academy for not nominating the film in major categories, and his comments led to strained relations with the organization.
While this was not an official ban in the formal, written‑down sense, Gere’s public remarks prompted the Academy to distance itself from him at that time, illustrating how tension between artists and the institution can impact participation in the awards season.
Adam Kimmel
Cinematographer Adam Kimmel — known for work on films including Capote and Lars and the Real Girl — was expelled from the Academy in 2021 after media reports revealed past criminal convictions that were inconsistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct. In announcing his expulsion, the Academy emphasized its commitment to maintaining ethical standards among its members.
Bill Cosby
Actor and television personality Bill Cosby was expelled from the Academy in 2018 following a conviction in criminal court. The Academy’s Board of Governors stated that his conduct did not align with the organization’s expectations for members. Cosby served time in prison before his conviction was later overturned by a state Supreme Court, but his Academy membership has not been reinstated.