Oscars Expel Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski From Membership

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has finally taken very necessary concrete action and expelled actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from its membership.

Last week, Bill Cosby was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The case was brought by former Temple University basketball coach Andrea Costand, who is an out lesbian. Polanski has lived abroad for 40 years, fleeing a statutory rape charge from 1978.

AMPAS’s board decided on the expulsion at a Tuesday night meeting.

“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 said in a statement. “The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity.”

Harvey Weinstein was expelled from the Academy’s membership last October after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him.

One prominent member of the film academy whose membership remains intact is Kevin Spacey, who came out in October after actor Anthony Rapp shared a story with BuzzFeed of being assaulted by Spacey at the age of 14. Spacey was let go of his headlining role on House of Cards and took a break fromacting.