All the Hollywood A-listers banned from the Oscars as the truth behind Richard Gere’s exile is revealed

It’s a night where all of Hollywood gathers under one roof to celebrate the most prestigious stars.

Several famous actors and filmmakers have been barred from the Oscars after breaking the Academy’s rules of behavior.

At the beginning of every March, celebrities congregate at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Will Smith, Richard Gere, and other celebrities won’t be invited to the Academy Awards in 2026 or any subsequent years.

I was shocked, like so many others, when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. It was a truly unforgettable moment, and unfortunately, it led to Will being added to that particular list – the one nobody wants to be on.

Richard Gere, known for his role in ‘Pretty Woman,’ wasn’t allowed to present at the Oscars for nearly twenty years. This ban stemmed from an impromptu, unplanned moment he had while live on television during the 1993 Academy Awards.

Sources at the Daily Mail have confirmed that Richard was never prohibited from attending the event and was often invited, but couldn’t make it because of other commitments.

Will Smith

I was watching the Oscars – the 94th one, at the Dolby Theatre – and it was all going smoothly until Chris Rock came on stage to announce the Best Documentary winner. He made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s haircut, or rather, her shaved head, and that’s when things really started to escalate.

He compared her to the bald look of Demi Moore in the 1997 movie G.I. Jane.

Jada recently shared that she has alopecia and wasn’t amused by the joke.

Will then approached the stage and slapped Chris hard across the face with his right hand.

‘Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me,’ Chris said from the stage after being hit.

After the heated exchange, Will went back to his seat beside his wife and angrily shouted, “Don’t you ever mention my wife’s name again!”

Following the incident where Will slapped Chris, he was banned from attending the Oscars for ten years. However, he will be allowed to keep the Best Actor award he previously won.

Will stated he understood and honored the Academy’s decision to prohibit him from attending the awards ceremony, both physically and online.

Richard Gere

Richard was overlooked by the Oscars for many years, and he’s now sharing his experiences of how Hollywood subtly punished him for it.

The actor was asked to announce the winner for Best Art Direction, but instead of reading the names on the teleprompter, he unexpectedly spoke out about human rights issues in Tibet, delivering a heartfelt and impassioned message.

I remember watching Richard speak to a massive global audience – over a billion people, it was incredible! He actually wondered if Deng Xiaoping, who was leading China at the time, was tuning in, and he passionately pleaded with him to stop the suffering in Tibet. It was a really powerful moment.

His unexpected remarks earned applause in the room, but left Academy officials furious.

Bob Rehme, who was president of the Academy Awards (AMPAS) at the time, quickly criticized the individual, reminding everyone that the show was meant to be about entertainment, not global politics.

Producer Gil Cates apparently didn’t think much of Richard Gere’s remarks about China, calling them arrogant and questioning why anyone would care.

The consequences were immediate as Richard vanished from the Oscars presenters list.

A source at the Academy confirmed to Page Six that no ban was issued.

Despite winning Oscars and receiving widespread praise for his films, Richard was subtly prevented from speaking publicly for almost two decades, likely due to his vocal support for Tibetan independence.

Oh my gosh, even after Chicago absolutely swept the awards in 2002 – winning Best Picture and everything! – they STILL didn’t let him say a word onstage. It’s just… unbelievable! Like, how could they leave him out?

Richard didn’t perform again until 2013, nearly twenty years after his initial run. He rejoined his fellow cast members from Chicago to present the awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

Backstage, he playfully told HuffPost UK, ‘It looks like I’m back in good graces. People seem to forget about past disagreements if you stick around long enough.’

After over thirty years, Richard finally thought about the events and his feelings regarding the secret list that had effectively blocked his career.

In a new interview with Variety this month, he insisted he never held a grudge.

‘I didn’t take it particularly personally. I didn’t think there were any bad guys in the situation. I do what I do and I certainly don’t mean anyone any harm,’ the father-of-three said.

He explained that his lifelong commitment to activism, which stems from his close relationship with the Dalai Lama, has always been his guiding principle.

Richard Gere said he wants to fight against anger, discrimination, and violations of human rights. He believes everyone is capable of change, and therefore, doesn’t take negative actions directed at him personally.

The Daily Mail has contacted Richard Gere’s spokesperson for a statement, but has not yet received a response.

Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein was banned from the academy in 2017 after his slew of sexual abuse allegations.

He was eventually found guilty of offenses committed over many years and received a 23-year prison sentence at Wende Correctional Facility in New York.

The 73-year-old former media executive was convicted of rape and two counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles in December 2023. This conviction comes after he was previously sentenced for sex crimes in New York City in 2020.

The Academy strongly condemned Harvey’s behavior, calling it deeply offensive and a betrayal of the values it upholds for itself and the entertainment industry.

He was also suspended by the British Academy Film Awards and dropped from his production company.

Bill Cosby

In 2018, Bill Cosby, the actor and comedian, was permanently banned from attending the awards ceremony after being found guilty of sexual assault.

In April 2018, Bill, who was 88 years old at the time, was found guilty of giving basketball coach Andrea Constand drugs and then sexually assaulting her in 2004.

Oh my god, can you believe it? They sentenced him to three to ten years! I was devastated. But then, after only three years, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court finally did the right thing and threw out the whole conviction! It was a miracle, honestly. Three years was still too long, but at least he’s free now, and that’s all that matters! I was glued to the news the entire time, waiting for this to happen.

After being released on June 30, 2021, he was spotted in New York City for the first time in April 2023.

As a lifestyle expert, I believe strongly in fostering environments built on respect, and the Academy shares that view. Following the recent events, they’ve reaffirmed their commitment to ethical standards and upholding the dignity of all individuals – values that are central to everything they do. It’s a reminder that we all have a responsibility to maintain those principles in our lives and work.

Adam Kimmel

Cinematographer Adam Kimmel, 65, was banned from the Academy in 2021 for his history of sex crimes.

Following two arrests for sexually assaulting children, the Academy banned him due to violations of their ethical standards.

Actor Adam, known for his work in films such as Capote, Never Let Me Go, and Beautiful Girls, is a registered sex offender. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl when he was 43 years old. He continued to build a career in Hollywood after this conviction.

They had sex at least ten times in August 2003 in New York City.

The following year, he admitted to rape, but continues to claim the sexual activity was consensual, even though the other person was underage.

Roman Polanski

In 2018, Roman Polanski, a French-Polish film director, was permanently expelled from the Academy due to a conviction for sexual assault of a minor.

Roman fled the US in 1977 and made his way to France after pleading guilty to the crime.

Despite being a fugitive from US authorities, he won the Academy Award for Best Director for his powerful film, The Pianist, a historical drama about the Holocaust. He received a total of five Academy Award nominations.

Since his lifetime ban, Roman has not been nominated or allowed to attend the Oscars.

Carmine Caridi

Actor Carmine Caridi was the first person to be permanently banned by the Academy in 2004.

The actor known for his roles in The Godfather Part II and Part III passed away in 2019 at the age of 85. Before his death, he was kicked out of school for sharing around 60 copies of upcoming movies with a friend named Russell Sprague.

The FBI investigated his illegal activities, and Sony and Warner Bros. sued him for copyright violations.

Sprague posted copies of the films online but died during his legal proceedings of a heart attack.

Although Carmine was found innocent of any misconduct, the Academy still punished him by prohibiting him from receiving their preview materials, citing a breach of their confidentiality agreement.

2025-12-11 04:59