Actor Will Smith on Friday resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences after he slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars ceremony, reported CNN.

Smith will no longer be able to vote on Oscar-nominated movies and performances. His work, however, will still be eligible for future Oscars consideration and nominations.

In a statement released on Friday, the actor said that his actions were “shocking, painful and inexcusable”.

“I betrayed the trust of the Academy,” he said. “I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. So, I am resigning from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate.”

At Sunday’s Academy Award ceremony, Smith had smacked Rock for joking that his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, was apt for the next GI Jane movie – a seeming reference to her tonsured head. She had shaved her head in 2021 following a diagnosis of alopecia, a condition that leads to hair loss.

A few minutes later as he accepted his Oscar award, Smith had apologised to the Academy, but he did not mention Rock. On Monday, he had apologised to Rock, saying: “I was out of line and I was wrong.”

The Academy had announced on Wednesday that it had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violating the group’s standards of conduct. It allowed Smith to defend himself in a written response before the board met again on April 18.

Meanwhile, the Academy’s president David Rubin on Friday said that the organisation has accepted Smith’s resignation.

“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,” Rubin added.

In its Wednesday statement, the Academy had said that Smith’s violations include inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behaviour and compromising the integrity of the organisation.