A week after Bill Cosby was convicted on all charges in his sexual assault trial, the Oscars want nothing to do with him. And for good measure, they’re catching up with the #MeToo movement on director Roman Polanski as well. Cosby, of course, was convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women (as part of a decades-long pattern), and Polanski pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with a minor (legally speaking, he committed statutory rape, although he pleaded guilty to the lightest of charges) in 1979 before fleeing the U.S.
Over the decades, both men have been staunchly defended by a number of Academy members, but the organization is finally taking a collective step to boot both Cosby and Polanski. In a brief statement obtained by Variety, details are kept to a minimum:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors met on Tuesday night (May 1) and has voted to expel actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from its membership in accordance with the organization’s Standards of Conduct. The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity.
This move follows the Television Hall Of Fame’s ousting of Cosby on Thursday in what amounts to a mass exodus of organizations who continued to support the comedian until his conviction. In addition, Temple University’s example of rescinding of Cosby’s honorary degree has been followed by Carnegie Melon University, Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, Cosby is still awaiting sentencing, and his three counts of aggravated indecent assault each carry up to 10 years in prison.
(Via Variety)
