Celebrities Who Were Banned From the Oscars

Award shows are designed to honor the best in movies and television, but they’ve also become well-known for hosting some of Hollywood’s biggest scandals and controversies.

Whether it’s unexpected incidents during award shows or controversies happening privately, many celebrities have clashed with the organizations that are supposed to celebrate them.

Sometimes, the consequences have been severe enough to result in individuals being officially prohibited from attending important events like the Academy Awards.

Here are three stars who were banned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Will Smith

After a surprising incident at the 2022 Oscars, Will Smith received a significant ban from the Academy Awards.

While presenting the award for Best Documentary at the live event, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying, “Jada, I love you. I’m excited to see G.I. Jane 2.”

I was absolutely floored, like everyone else in the audience, when Will Smith walked right up on stage and slapped Chris Rock. It was a completely shocking moment, and instantly blew up all over the internet. Then, after sitting back down, Smith just yelled at Rock to leave his wife alone, and it was…intense, to say the least.

After reviewing the incident, the Academy’s governing board decided to discipline Will Smith. They announced in April 2022 that he would not be allowed to attend any Academy events, like the Oscars, for ten years.

Smith stated he accepts the Academy’s decision and respects it.

Harvey Weinstein

I was relieved when Harvey Weinstein was kicked out of the Academy back in 2017. So many brave people had come forward with accusations of sexual assault and misconduct, and it felt like a necessary step towards accountability.

The claims surfaced in investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker, and these reports played a key role in starting the worldwide #MeToo movement.

The Academy quickly voted to expel Harvey Weinstein after the reports came out, with more than the necessary two-thirds of the Board of Governors supporting the decision.

The Academy stated that the decision was intended to show they would no longer tolerate ignoring or enabling sexual misconduct within the industry.

Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of sexual assault in New York in 2020 and given a 23-year prison sentence. In 2023, he received another 16-year sentence in Los Angeles for comparable offenses.

Despite having his 2020 conviction overturned by a New York court in 2024, Harvey Weinstein is still in prison, currently held in California.

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby was expelled from the Academy in 2018 following his sexual assault conviction.

In April, the comedian was convicted of giving drugs to and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, back in 2004. He received a prison sentence of three to ten years.

Just weeks after the guilty verdict, the Academy voted to expel him, stating he violated their code of conduct and highlighting the need to uphold human dignity.

This decision removed Bill Cosby from the Academy, the group that hosts the Oscars, and prevented him from taking part in any future events.

Bill Cosby was released from prison in June 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined a deal made with prosecutors had been broken, resulting in the overturning of his conviction. However, the Academy has not welcomed him back as a member.

Celebrities Who’ve Been Banned From Casinos

Ben Affleck

Matt Damon is well-known for his role in the poker movie “Rounders,” but it turns out his friend, Ben Affleck, might have been a more fitting choice for the part. Affleck was famously banned for life from playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas back in May 2014 after being caught counting cards at a high-stakes table. He later admitted to the incident in an interview with Details magazine.

Affleck explained that he learned to play blackjack well, to the point where casinos asked him to stop. He pointed out that this highlights a strange situation – being skilled at the game is considered a problem for casinos.

Dana White

As a total movie buff, I always find it fascinating when people known for one thing are surprisingly good at something completely different. Take Dana White, the guy running the UFC – apparently, he’s a seriously skilled blackjack player! I read he once won a staggering $7 million in just one night at the Vegas tables. It’s gotten to the point where some casinos have actually asked him not to play, because he’s too good! Can you believe it? It just goes to show you never know what hidden talents people have.

Dana White clarified that he hasn’t been officially banned from casinos, but they prefer he doesn’t play. He explained to GQ Sports that casinos limit his betting because they don’t want to lose money when he wins.

I’ve been banned from The Palms twice, and the Mirage and Wynn won’t let me gamble there,” he said. “Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and The Venetian are the only casinos in town that still allow me to play.”

Derren Brown

Casinos generally don’t welcome professional card counters, and famous illusionist Derren Brown is no exception. Known for incredible card tricks and other illusions, Brown has been banned from playing blackjack at casinos across the U.K. He even posted a video online showing his winning strategy, which likely didn’t help his case!

After a performance in 2013, Brown and his friends went to the Broadway Plaza Casino in Birmingham hoping to play blackjack. The casino let them in and seated them, but wouldn’t allow Brown to place any bets. Even though he couldn’t gamble, the casino staff were friendly and accommodating.

He explained to The Scotsman that the staff were friendly and gave him food, but wouldn’t allow him to participate. He watched the others play for a while before leaving, accompanied by a staff member and the manager.

Allen Iverson

Unlike some celebrities who were banned from casinos for being too successful, Allen Iverson faced bans due to his behavior. In 2009, Detroit casinos barred him after he repeatedly acted out at the tables, throwing cards and chips when he lost. He was also disruptive and treated other players and casino staff poorly. Adding to this, Iverson was famously banned from an Atlantic City casino for urinating in a trash can – a truly infamous incident!

Stu Ungar

Stu Ungar is often called the best poker player ever, and he famously won three World Series of Poker titles. Sadly, his life ended early at age 45 due to drug addiction. Despite being a poker legend – and later honored with induction into the WSOP Hall of Fame in 2001 – Ungar, nicknamed “The Kid,” was actually barred from playing blackjack at several casinos during his career.

Ungar was incredibly intelligent and had an exceptional memory, making him a natural at both playing blackjack and memorizing the cards. By the time he passed away in 1998, casinos in Las Vegas had banned him from playing due to his skill.

Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.

This story first appeared on ATS.io and was created with the help of Stacker Studio.

2026-03-16 04:57