• In an unexpected moment at the 2022 Academy Awards, actor Will Smith slaps comedian Chris Rock. AFP
    In an unexpected moment at the 2022 Academy Awards, actor Will Smith slaps comedian Chris Rock. AFP
  • Smith confronts Rock onstage at the Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. AFP
    Smith confronts Rock onstage at the Oscars after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. AFP
  • Rock likened Jada Pinkett Smith's hair to a GI Jane haircut, which prompted her husband to take to the stage to confront Rock in a seemingly unscripted moment. Reuters
    Rock likened Jada Pinkett Smith's hair to a GI Jane haircut, which prompted her husband to take to the stage to confront Rock in a seemingly unscripted moment. Reuters
  • Smith leaves the stage at the Oscars after slapping Rock for a remark he made about his wife Jada. She lost her hair because of alopecia. AP
    Smith leaves the stage at the Oscars after slapping Rock for a remark he made about his wife Jada. She lost her hair because of alopecia. AP
  • Smith and Jada arrive at the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. AFP
    Smith and Jada arrive at the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. AFP
  • Smith wins Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in King Richard, at the 2022 Oscars. AFP
    Smith wins Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in King Richard, at the 2022 Oscars. AFP
  • Smith, in tears, pays tribute to his wife Jada during his acceptance speech. AFP
    Smith, in tears, pays tribute to his wife Jada during his acceptance speech. AFP
  • Smith with wife Jada after he won the Oscar award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. AFP
    Smith with wife Jada after he won the Oscar award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. AFP
  • Serena Williams at the Oscar Awards on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
    Serena Williams at the Oscar Awards on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP
  • Serena and sister Venus Williams introduce a performance by Beyonce at the Oscars. AP
    Serena and sister Venus Williams introduce a performance by Beyonce at the Oscars. AP
  • US tennis star Venus attends the 94th Oscars. AFP
    US tennis star Venus attends the 94th Oscars. AFP

Culture

Film

Will Smith banned from attending Oscars for 10 years

Academy board votes to punish actor for his Oscars ceremony slap of Chris Rock

The National

April 08, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Hollywood's movie academy voted on Friday to ban actor Will Smith from attending the Oscars after he slapped comedian Chris Rock during the latest ceremony.

“Mr Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programmes, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences President David Rubin and chief executive Dawn Hudson said in a letter.

The board met early on Friday to discuss their response to Smith for breaking its code of conduct in the slap that stunned Oscars viewers around the world.

“This action we are taking today in response to Will Smith’s behaviour is a step towards a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy. We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted,” the letter concluded.

Smith formally resigned from the Academy and the board moved their meeting up to Friday from April 18 as a result.

“I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” Smith sent via a representative on Friday.

The actor hit Rock across his face after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who has suffered hair loss due to alopecia, with a reference to Demi Moore's crewcut in the movie GI Jane.

After he went on the stage to hit Rock, Smith yelled at Rock to keep his wife's “name out of his mouth".

Smith has apologised to Rock and the comedian has said he will not press charges.

Actors do not need to be members of the Academy to receive nominations, although each year's Oscar nominees — and winners — are voted for by members of the group.

Traditionally, the Best Actor Oscar winner is invited to present the following year's best actress award — an honour Smith will not be granted as a result of this decision.

Producers of the awards have been criticised for a lack of action during the ceremony, in which Smith received an Oscar and gave a speech shortly after the incident.

Mr Rubin and Ms Hudson addressed that in their letter.

“During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry.”

Agencies contributed to this report

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Joe Root's Test record

Tests: 53; Innings: 98; Not outs: 11; Runs: 4,594; Best score: 254; Average: 52.80; 100s: 11; 50s: 27

RESULTS

5pm Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Munfared, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)

5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner Dergham Athbah, Pat Dobbs, Mohamed Daggash

6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner Rajee, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri

7pm Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner Kerless Del Roc, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner Pharoah King, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

8pm Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner Sauternes Al Maury, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson

11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi

Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)

Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)

Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)

Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).

Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)

Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)

Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)

Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)

Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia

Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)

Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)

Results

ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):

First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

UAE squad

Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.

FIXTURES

UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
 

Saudi National Day

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Zayed Sustainability Prize
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