Former NBA star Kobe Bryant has been removed from the jury of an upcoming film festival at the behest of a Change.org petition that said the former basketballer should not be involved due to the 2003 rape allegation made against him, according to Variety. (At the time, Bryant had said any relations were consensual; he pleaded not guilty to felony charges, which were later dismissed; and he settled a related civil suit).
The 40 year old — who won an Academy Award earlier this year for his work on the animated short film Dear Basketball — was set to participate in the Animation Is Film Festival this weekend in Los Angeles.
In a statement to Variety, Eric Beckman — the CEO of GKIDS, the producer of the event — said, “After discussions with the various stakeholders of Animation Is Film, the decision has been made to remove Kobe Bryant from the 2018 jury. We are a young organization and it is important to keep our collective energies focused on the films, the participating filmmakers, and our festival attendees.”
While responding to the festival’s decision to remove him from the jury, Bryant tells PEOPLE in a statement, “I was honored to have been originally invited by Animation is Film to serve on the 2018 Jury, and am disappointed to no longer serve in that capacity.”
“This decision further motivates me and my commitment to building a studio that focuses on diversity and inclusion in storytelling for the animation industry. I remain focused on changing the world in positive ways through diverse stories, characters, and leadership, in order to inspire the next generation.”
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