Roman Polanski’s wife rejects invitation to join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences body

The wife of Roman Polanski, French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, said on Sunday she had rejected an invitation to join the body that awards the Oscars in protest at its decision to expel her husband over his historic statutory rape conviction in the US.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last month announced that it had swelled its ranks by more than 900 members, as part of its drive for a more inclusive Hollywood.

The organization announces invitations every year, and has been bolstering its ethnic and female representation following criticism over its predominantly white, male membership.

But in an open letter published by France’s Journal du Dimanche, Seigner said: “How can I pretend to ignore that the Academy a few weeks ago kicked out my husband, Roman Polanski, to satisfy the zeitgeist. The same Academy that rewarded him with the Oscar for best director for The Pianist in 2003. Curious amnesia!

“This Academy probably thinks that I am an actress sufficiently arriviste, without character to forget that she has been married for 29 years to one of the greatest directors,” she added.

The 84-year-old director of Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown was accused of drugging a 13-year-old girl before raping her at the film star Jack Nicholson’s house in Los Angeles in 1977.

He admitted statutory rape after a number of more serious charges were dropped.

But in 1978, convinced the judge was going to scrap his plea deal and send him to prison, he left for France.

The director has since refused to return without assurances that he would not serve additional time in prison.