Roman Polanski 'blindsided' by Oscars academy expulsion

The director's attorney plans to ask the Academy to reinstate him

Roman Polanski has been in self-imposed exile since he fled the US almost 40 years ago (Getty)

Roman Polanski has responded to being expelled by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences alongside Bill Cosby.

The famed director – who won the Best Director Oscar for The Pianist in 2003 – was reportedly “blindsided” by the news.

Polanski's attorney Harland Braun told the Associated Press that they will ask the Academy to conduct a hearing so the filmmaker may plead his case to the prestigious awards body.

Braun added that Polanksi's team had prepared a case to take forward but were never given the chance.

The attorney plans to ask the Academy to reinstate the director who remains a fugitive from America living in France.

Polanski was initially arrested and charged with raping 13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977.

A statement released by the Academy on Tuesday night said: “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 organisation’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.”

While Cosby has never won an Oscar, his name was removed from the website of the Television Academy on Wednesday.

The actor-comedian was recently found guilty for three counts of aggravated indecent assault in his retrial from accusations by former Temple University worker Andrea Constand.

Cosby claims that the situation with Constand was consensual and that he gave her Benadryl to help her relax.