It’s been a year since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars — and the banned actor’s award still doesn’t have his name on it.
Janet Yang, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, told The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast that Smith, 54, may be prohibited from the show or any Academy events for nine more years, but he’s still welcome to get his nameplate engraved onto his Best Actor trophy.
“He earned the Oscar. He should have his name engraved on it,” Yang said on the podcast, released Saturday.
“I don’t know if he should personally come. But, yeah, we can arrange,” she added.
The Post has contacted representatives for Smith for comment.
Academy Award winners are handed a blank Oscar when they accept their award.
They usually get the statue engraved at the Governor’s Ball party, which takes place right after the ceremony, but Smith did not attend last year’s event.
He did, however, sing along to his own songs at the Vanity Fair afterparty with his trophy in hand.
The “King Richard” star showed off his blank award in a TikTok video last month in response to another user urging others to ask an inanimate object what it thinks of you — though he cut the clip before making the query to the golden statue.
“The slap heard around the world” was a popular punchline for 2023 Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel on Sunday night, explaining to the star-studded audience how the show’s crisis team would react should any more funny business go down.
“So, we have strict policies in place, if anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.” Kimmel joked.
“Seriously, the Academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year. Nothing,” Kimmel continued. “Sit there and do absolutely nothing — maybe even give the assailant a hug.
“And if any of you get mad at a joke and decide you want to come up here and get jiggy with it, it’s not gonna be easy,” he added.