Mel to Academy of Motion Picture
April 5, 2022
David Rubin, President
Dawn Hudson, Chief Executive Officer
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
8949 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Mr. Rubin & Ms. Hudson:
After I saw Will Smith assault Chris Rock and then witnessed, as millions did, that you did nothing—my outrage grew for why Will Smith was even an Oscar contender. He produced and starred in a true-life story of a man of color who, despite obstacles few can imagine, freed his daughters from poverty and violence on the streets of Compton. Smith’s self-absorbed antics disgraced a story that gave me hope their example could focus the Black community on the importance of education, nonviolence and the celebration of homes where fathers do not act out the rage and violence Smith personified.
With no regard for what Will Smith did to a legacy the film honored and he should have protected, what did you do? You protected a Black man assaulting another Black man with the world watching with no regard for the impact on the Williams family story and legacy. They deserved far better from you and those who allowed Will Smith to remain in his seat rather than being forcibly removed after assaulting a host.
Would you have allowed Mel Gibson to remain if he had done what Will Smith did? Would you have allowed Smith to stay if it were a white man he assaulted? Would there have been a story to tell about the Williams family if Richard Williams had ever assaulted anyone as Will Smith did—with the world watching?
I was so outraged by what his lack of impulse control did to the legacy of the man he portrayed, I located a phone number for Rick Macci who coached the girls and is featured in the film. All the world now sees is a Black man assaulting another Black man with zero regard for consequences. ZERO. You enabled that outcome. Violence in the Black community goes to the core of the issues facing law enforcement. George Floyd would be alive if he had simply sat quietly in the police cruiser instead of kicking his way out.
Dante Wright the same with the list far too long of Black men having zero regard for the rule of law or norms of society where violence should never be justified or excused except in self-defense. Yet you condone and reward this conduct? Richard Williams’ journey and the nobility of his life disappeared when Will Smith was allowed to receive an honor after committing a criminal assault. You enabled what he did with your inability to protect the life story responsible for the honor. Will Smith used his acceptance speech to “play the spread” (“love makes you do crazy things”) hoping to retain the honor by offering apologies.
I live in Arizona. At 2 am. I began researching Rick Macci before speaking with him. At 4 am, I phoned his academy hoping to leave a message to call me back. I wanted to know if Richard Williams was as good a father as I believed he was raising his daughters. Rick answered, telling me he was on the court teaching with his days beginning at 5:30 am every day. I told him why I called not expecting to get him at that hour.
After he finished his classes, he confirmed Richard had a vision focused on freeing his family from poverty and from the violence that has for too long plagued the Black community. Venus and Serena studied in Rick’s office when they weren’t on the court training, per Richard’s instructions. The impact their story had on me and others can’t be overstated yet you did nothing when it counted to protect it! Nothing! You enabled a no-consequences assault with the world watching—signaling every young Black man that it’s okay to act out violently.
I’m a fan of the reality show, 48 Hours, produced by A&E. One episode featured a young Black high school graduate who had just met the requirements to join the Marines. Like Richard Williams, his family worked to keep him off the violent streets of their community. A former girlfriend and her new boyfriend drove by his home and sprayed it with bullets. He got his gun and went after them as his parents tried to stop him. He shot and killed all of those responsible.
The Black homicide detective in Tulsa was beside himself when the young man’s parents made their son confess. The detective was distraught knowing the young man was leaving for the Marines the next day. As he cuffed him, he looked at him with tears in his eyes and said, “Why didn’t you listen to your parents who called us? Why didn’t you let us deal with this? You’ve ruined your life.” His answer, “They disrespected my family.” Will Smith thought that a joke by comedian Chris Rock disrespected his wife. I’ve reached out to A&E to get a copy of the show.
This is all too common in the Black community and must change. You just pushed change in the exact opposite direction. Richard Williams and his family’s story proves there is a better path with dedication, vision, hard work, study and self-discipline rooted in education. What Will Smith did—that you enabled—perpetuates a deadly social cancer among Black men and within Black families. On a par with the violence of 9/11, the viral video of what Will Smith did will be used to incite more hatred and fuel more racial tension in our nation.
You helped promote hate and violence with millions watching. By now, billions have likely seen it. Janai Nelson, President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, is copied. Immediately after the assault was aired, she said via Twitter “I know we’re all still processing, but the way casual violence is normalized by a collective national audience will have consequences we can’t even fathom at the moment.”
I recommend you recruit Larry Namer who I know well and have him assemble a team to produce a 10-minute piece to introduce a 10-part series on casual violence focused on the vision of Richard Williams and Oracene Price, including how their vision was damaged by what Will Smith was enabled to do when the Academy failed to act as you should have to protect the Williams’ family legacy.
The trailer can air at the 2023 Awards Ceremony when Richard Williams and Oracene Price present the Oscar for Best Actress, having received the 2022 Best Actor award for the damage inflicted on their legacy. Will Smith had zero concern with protecting it in 2022. Instead, we saw his phony tears, citing Richard the protector in a pathetic acceptance speech he was allowed to give after assaulting a host.
You both need to resign effective immediately, with real leadership replacing you. My life’s work will soon be public (see attached). When it is, I will do everything in my power to destroy the Academy’s brand should you fail to revoke the Oscar and give it to the Williams family. They should have been the focus, not Will Smith who proved himself unworthy to tell their story.
When Liam Neeson was asked by Steven Spielberg to play Oscar Schindler, he declined telling him he wasn’t worthy to play him. Steven convinced him he was. The Williams family trusted Will Smith and he betrayed their trust with you sanctioning what was done. By not having him removed and prosecuted, you became complicit.
The attached memo was hand-delivered to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz four days before Joe Biden, in effect, called for regime change in Russia. Those behind the conflict in Ukraine are focused on removing Vladimir Putin from office. I returned from Iraq in February 1997 with proof Saddam Hussein didn’t have weapons of mass destruction. Had President Biden engaged me in June 2021 (see below)—as demanded in a nation governed by the rule of law—Putin never would have invaded Ukraine. As my life experience proves, the same parties behind this latest crisis also deceived the U.S. to invade Iraq for regime change.
I strongly urge that you take ownership of your behavior. That should begin by submitting your resignations and recommending revocation of the honor Smith received after assaulting a host.
This tragedy can remain like 9/11—with a coverup of who was behind enabling what happened. Or you can own your role and ensure the Williams family’s story and legacy are protected.
Had George Floyd and other Black men not resisted arrest, we’d never have known who they were. Had you focused on the basics, no one would have ever known the extent of your arrogance, incompetence and lack of respect for the rule of law. Will Smith assaulted another person at a venue you controlled—and you did nothing, period, full stop. Instead, a gaggle of A-list actors consoled the assailant. What about your hosts? I suggest that your resignations include an apology to them as well.
Best personal regards
James M. Rockefeller
Enclosures:
- April 5, 2022 memo to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (update of March 24 memo)
- November 18, 2020 memo to President-elect Joe Biden, et.al.
- June 4, 2021 White House response to November 18, 2020 Biden memo, received June 8, 2021
- June 8, 2021 memo to Attorney General Merrick Garland
CC: Rita Wilson, Board of Governors, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Nicholas Carlisle, CEO of Power of Zero, London
Rick Macci, Rick Macci Tennis Academy, Boca Raton
