As Will Smith gradually makes his return to social media and the public consciousness, the reverberations of his infamous incident at the Oscars continue to be felt.
MORE: A look into Will Smith's upcoming roles as he returns to the public eye
The actor's career hasn't been the same since he took to the stage at the Academy Awards to slap Chris Rock over a joke told about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
VIDEO: Will Smith reappears months after Chris Rock Oscars slap
Now, the new CEO of the Academy, Bill Kramer, made a statement about the incident and what he foresees as the star's future at the ceremony.
When asked about whether the Academy planned to address the matter at the upcoming ceremony and whether there had been any conversations around it, he didn't directly respond.
MORE: Will Smith continues his social media comeback with comical post
However, he suggested that they might be willing to work on a reconciliation of sorts, saying: "We want to move forward and to have an Oscars that celebrates cinema. That's our focus right now, but it's really about moving forward."
After the infamous slap shook many in the entertainment industry, Will publicly apologized for his actions and directly to Chris and his family as well.
Will had announced his resignation from the Academy soon after the incident
He also announced his resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and said he would "accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate."
"Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason," he added in his statement.
MORE: Will Smith hailed a 'hero' as he shares video of terrifying encounter during family time
MORE: Will Smith jokes about difficulty of returning to social media after Oscars slap
It was announced soon after that he had been banned from the Oscars and all Academy events for ten years after a board meeting discussing disciplinary action against the actor.
In a statement, the Academy said the Oscars had been "overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr Smith exhibit on stage."
The actor is now making his return to social media
"During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
