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The Academy on Monday condemned Will Smith for slapping presenter and comedian Chris Rock during the Oscar ceremony on Sunday night and stated that it has started a formal review of the incident. 

The slapping incident cast a shadow over Hollywood's big night which saw Smith picking up the Best Actor honour for his performance in 'King Richard'. 

Smith strode on stage during the live telecast and struck Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith's wife. 

In a statement on Monday, the 9,900-member Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it "condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's show."

"We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law," the academy added.

The group's conduct policy states it is "categorically opposed to any form of abuse, harassment or discrimination" and expects members to uphold the values "of respect for human dignity, inclusion, and a supportive environment that fosters creativity."

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Violating the laws may result in suspension or expulsion from the Academy, revocation of the Oscar, or loss of eligibility for future awards.

SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, called Smith's actions "unacceptable" and said it had been in touch with the academy and broadcaster ABC "to ensure this behaviour is appropriately addressed."

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As Smith went up on stage to accept his Best Actor award moments after the incident, he apologized to the academy and fellow nominees, but not to Rock, and said he hoped he would be invited back.

He later took to Instagram on Monday to issue a public apology to Rock and said he was 'out of line and wrong'. 

'I was out of line': Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock for slapping him at Oscars

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The film academy has revoked membership very rarely. Producer Harvey Weinstein was expelled in 2017 after more than three dozen women accused him of sexual assault. Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski were kicked out in 2018.

Cosby was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in 2004, though the conviction was overturned. Polanski admitted to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.

One of Hollywood's most bankable stars, Smith has anchored lucrative film franchises such as "Independence Day" and 'Men in Black'. His films have grossed more than $9 billion at global box offices, according to researcher Comscore.

Oscars producers had been hoping for a memorable night on Sunday to rebound from record-low ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic. They brought in three hosts, opened the show with Beyonce and shortened some acceptance speeches.

But it was Smith's outburst that went viral, with pictures and video ricocheting across social media.

Television viewership jumped sharply this year, to an average of 15.36 million people, a 56% boost from 2021, according to preliminary estimates.