Will Smith may be ineligible for an Oscar nomination in 2023

Will Smith might face an Oscar suspension for a year, according to an industry insider, which could deny him a nomination for his highly anticipated next film in 2023

“I think the Academy is very upset, the members I’ve spoken to are just appalled that this took place on the Oscar stage,” said Matt Belloni of Puck News on the “Today” show Tuesday morning. “There will be a punishment. I don’t think they will take away his Oscar … that is for [‘King Richard’], for the work he’s done.”

“But I would not be surprised if they suspend him [from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences] for a year, six months — really give him a public lashing, so to speak, where he will feel something and not be able to get a nomination for a movie that he has coming out next year.”

Due to a year-long ban from the Academy, which administers the Oscars, Smith’s performance in the upcoming film “Emancipation” may not be nominated.

The actress apologized on Monday for slapping Chris Rock live on TV at the Oscars on Sunday.

Smith’s apology occurred, according to Belloni “late”: “It didn’t occur on stage. He apologized [when accepting his Best Actor award] only to the Academy and other nominees, but not to Chris Rock. And then this Instagram apology to Chris Rock and a number of other people … it was sort of a blanket and a PR-managed apology.”

After the Academy announced an investigation into the infamous slap, Smith’s statuette could be removed, Page Six reported.

The film “Emancipation” will be released later this year. Smith, 53, plays a slave on the run from cold-blooded hunters as he makes his way through the swamps of Louisiana up North to join the Union Army in this action thriller.

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