Racism against Will Smith? "It took the same Academy 40 years to ban Roman Polanski after he was convicted of child rape!"

Closer home, activist Boniface Mwangi evokes the lyrics in rapper Jay Z's The Story of O.J to highlight the racism.

But Smith seems to have eaten the humble pie. "I accept and respect the Academy’s decision," he said in a statement.

The actor has issued previous statements apologizing to Rock, the Oscars producers, nominees and viewers.

Banned from other Academy Events

In addition to the Oscars, the film world's most prestigious awards, the board banned Smith from all other academy events and programs, in person or virtually, for 10 years.

The group did not say, however, that he would be ineligible to be nominated for Oscars during that time. Smith's next movie, action thriller "Emancipation," about a man who escapes from slavery, had been set for release later this year.

No update on the Apple TV+  film has been given since Smith strode up to the stage at the March 27 ceremony after comedian Rock made a joke about the appearance of the actor's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, then smacked Rock across the face.