The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is putting "crisis communication teams and structures" in place so that "we will be prepared for anything" after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars.
Notably, Smith resigned from the academy following the slap. The academy issued a 10-year ban against the actor, prohibiting him from attending the awards show or associated events.
"We have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen," CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Bill Kramer, who has been in the position since July, said in an interview published Tuesday.
In the interview with Time, Kramer said, "Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars."
"But these crisis plans — the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place — allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly," he explained.
Giving an example of how the teams will work, Kramer described, "This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. And obviously, depending on the specifics of the crisis, and let’s hope something doesn’t happen and we never have to use these, but we already have frameworks in place that we can modify."
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He further admitted that the academy could have responded more quickly to the incident.
"As an institution, we need to move swiftly and compassionately and to engage with our members and nominees in a very transparent way," Kramer said. "Let’s hope something like this never happens again — but we could have moved more quickly. And I’m not just talking about the night of the show."
Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel is returning to host the 95th Oscars, and Kramer claimed that "it’s so important to have a host who knows how to handle live television and a live audience." The comedian hosted the event in 2017 and 2018.
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"Jimmy is a dream to work with," Kramer said. "He’s funny; he’s respectful; his edges aren’t too sharp. I think people in the audience feel very safe and engaged with his energy."
He added, "You want someone like Jimmy onstage who is used to dealing with live TV" because "things don’t always go as planned. So you have a host in place who can really pivot and manage those moments."