Oscars 2026: As the spotlight for global entertainment fans descends upon the guest list for the approaching 98th Annual Academy Awards scheduled to take place at the prestigious Dolby Theatre, the curated list of invitees seemed to align with one theme that is ‘brand reputation’.
While conversations surrounding the highly anticipated Academy Awards often linger on the glitz and the gold, a shadow remains over a small group of ‘former big names’ in the industry who have been permanently or significantly removed from the “In Crowd.”
While many remember the 94th Academy Awards for a single, jarring moment which saw Will Smith step onto the stage to slap comedian Chris Rock in front of a live global audience, which resulted in Smith being banned from academy events till 2032.
Lesser people know about the 5 more instances where the academy issued a strict ban for some former big names in the industry who, in some cases, have themselves been the recipient of Academy Awards.
There are a few Hollywood names that won’t be on the guest list when the 98th annual Academy Awards take place on March 15. As per reports published by People magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, six members of the entertainment industry remain banned from attending the prestigious event, including Will Smith and Bill Cosby.
Here’s everything to know about the six celebrities who have been banned from the Oscars — and what they did to warrant the punishment.
Carmine Caridi: The Godfather actor caught in a scandal
In 2004, veteran actor Carmine Caridi became the first person ever expelled from the Academy. Unlike some of the more high-profile criminal cases mentioned in this list, Caridi’s downfall was rooted in intellectual property theft.
As per reports, Caridi was caught by the FBI for lending his advance movie screeners to a man who then copied and distributed them. Despite being a member since 1982, the Board of Governors voted to expel him immediately. Caridi later admitted he knew he had violated the rules and did not blame the organisation for the decision.
While Caridi held a rich legacy at Broadway for his performance in Man of La Mancha, he was best known for playing small parts in The Godfather series as Sonny Corleone, brother to Al Pacino‘s Michael Corleone.
Harvey Weinstein: The fall of a titan and a serial rapist
The expulsion of Harvey Weinstein in October 2017 marked a turning point in Hollywood’s “era of willful ignorance.” Following accusations of sexual assault by over 80 women, the Academy moved with unprecedented speed to revoke his membership.
Prior to his removal, the Academy condemned Weinstein’s conduct as “repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical to the high standards of the Academy and the creative community it represents.”
In a statement made after his expulsion, the Academy mentioned that they expedited Weinstein’s removal with great speed to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behaviour and workplace harassment in the industry is over
“We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behaviour and workplace harassment in our industry is over,” the academy stated.
Following his expulsion, the producer was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault. However, that sentence was overturned as the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the trial judge did not provide a fair trial, per The Associated Press.
As of June 2025, Weinstein was found guilty of a criminal sex act related to a 2006 case. He remains incarcerated at Rikers Island, currently facing a 16-year sentence from a separate Los Angeles conviction while awaiting further retrials.
Bill Cosby: Court sentence, prison and Academy ban
In May 2018, just one month after his sexual assault conviction, the Academy expelled Bill Cosby. The move was a direct application of the organisation’s then-newly revised Standards of Conduct.
In April 2018, the disgraced actor was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in January 2004, resulting in a three-to-10-year prison sentence.
While Cosby’s conviction was eventually overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2021 due to a due process violation, the Academy has shown no intent to reinstate his membership, citing their commitment to “human dignity.”
Roman Polanski: A decade-old fugitive status
Expelled on the same day as Cosby, Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski was removed due to his 1977 rape conviction. As per a report by The People magazine, the Oscar-winning filmmaker had pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse in 1977 after a 13-year-old girl accused him of giving her alcohol and part of a Quaalude.
As part of a plea bargain, he served 42 days in jail but fled the U.S. before completing his 90-day sentence, remaining a fugitive for decades.
Polanski’s expulsion from the academy came more than a decade after he won the Best Director Oscar in 2003 for The Pianist. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, despite being expelled from the academy, Polanski continues to make films and even win awards for his movies in Europe.
Adam Kimmel: The disclosure failure
Cinematographer Adam Kimmel was removed from the Academy in March 2021. His expulsion highlighted the limitations of the Academy’s “honour system” for membership.
While Kimmel joined the Academy in 2007, several years after his crimes, he was expelled from the institute in 2021, just months after The Variety published an exposé revealing that Kimmel was a registered sex offender with convictions for the rape and assault of minors.
In a statement to the outlet, the Academy wrote that its membership selection process is “based on an honour system that relies on the integrity of prospective members, their sponsors, and branch committee members to disclose any disqualifying information.”
Will Smith: The 10-year suspension
Few moments in Oscar history have been as shocking as Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 ceremony. Notably, unlike those above, Will Smith was not “expelled” in the traditional sense, but he is currently serving a 10-year ban from all Academy events.
Following the ‘scene’ created by Will Smith at the Oscars, the Board of Governors apologised for not handling the situation adequately during the live broadcast and issued the ban as a step toward “restoring trust” in the safety of the event. Smith resigned his membership shortly before the ban was officially handed down.
“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,” they wrote.
Days after the incident, Will Smith also responded to the incident, issuing an apology to Chris Rock, where he also stated that he understands and accepts the Academy’s decision.