For the second year in a row, the Oscar academy has decided NOT to enlist black actors [who delivered phenomenal performances] on the nomination list which has now ignited the popular hashtag #OscarsSowhite and public backlash from the masses at large.
While a boycott of the academy would be more than reasonable to voice the frustration of their hidden agenda, it’s simply not enough to shift ignorant minds.
‘We May Get The Invitation But Not The Nomination’
Last year, Idris Elba was snubbed for his role in ‘Mandela’ and this year the academy has dealt him the same hand despite his exceptional performance in ‘Beasts Of Nation’.
John Legend and Common won an award for their supporting role in SELMA, but film director, Ava Duvernay [black woman] was not nominated.
‘Creed’, a movie which was directed by Ryan Coogler [black man] starring actor, Michael B. Jordan [black man] was not nominated but Sylvester Stalone was the chosen nominee in this year’s award ceremony.
Will Smith’s ‘Concussion’ ‘Chiraq’ and ‘Straight Out Of Compton’ along with its actors were also absent from the nominee lists.
Hollywood fine with taking $ from people of color. Also apparently fine with ignoring their talent. #OscarsSoWhite https://t.co/LzTpQs3rmE
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) January 15, 2016
This is why people are saying #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/RhNdH1j3YB
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) January 15, 2016
In a 2014 survey they found that the Oscar judge panel includes:
94 % White Persons, 2% Black Persons, Less Than 2% Latino Persons, And Less Than 1% Asian Persons. The Average Age Was 65, and 77% Are Males and 14% were younger than 50, And The Median Is 62.
As Charles Bow expressed in a recent interview with CNN – ‘This certainly does not reflect the population of movie goers’.
It is clearly evident that there needs to be an immediate REVISION in the academy from the bottom up and new policies need to be implemented.
Should We Even Care? What’s frustrating is not that SHOCK VALUE of it all, but the blatant disrespect with the exclusion of movies and actors that were more than well deserving of a nomination.
Sadly, we’ve seen this repeated behavior so many times [not just in the movie industry]; that’s its redundant at this point. I think Ice Cube said it best during his interview with Wendy Williams when asked about the ‘Straight Outta Compton’ snub
‘It Doesn’t Matter’ said the former rapper turned film director.
Quite Frankly, ‘It Shouldn’t Matter To Us’! More of the reason why people should learn and use these ‘lessons’ as a motivational tool to establish an entrepreneurship front that serves to impact the culture at large.
While I might claim this to be ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ behavior, I do recognize that is an ‘ACCEPTABLE’ practice that has perpetuated for decades.
#OscarsSoWhite because #FilmStudiosSoWhite. Cart before the horse, really. The root has to be addressed to change the outcome.
— Karlie Hustle (@THEkarliehustle) January 15, 2016
One Love PLUMS!