Award season is always a time of excitement, gossip, and controversy; however, this year's Academy Awards seem to have aroused many mixed feelings among the public and those who have been overlooked for this year's awards.

There has been endless debate over whether or not the academy is lacking diversity. Jada Pinkett Smith posted a video discussing the fact that, within the past two years, there has been no diversity among the Oscar nominees. All 40 nominees between these two years have been white. Smith's video went viral, and it has led to much controversy on the topic.

"Today is Martin Luther King's birthday, and I can't help but ask the question: Is it time that people of color recognize how much power, influence, that we have amassed, that we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere?"

This is just a small insight as to what Jada had to share in her Facebook post, which led to the trend #OscarsSoWhite on social media.

Film director, Spike Lee, posted a similar video on that Monday, January 18 and said this:

"We cannot support it and [I] mean no disrespect ... But, how is it possible for the second consecutive year all 20 contenders under the acting category are white? And let's not even get into the other branches."

It is no surprise that these videos went viral and have led to so much controversy leading up to the 2016 Academy Awards. It has, indeed, been two years since a black actor has been nominated for either a leading or supporting role in a film; however, looking at past years it seems that there could be other reasons as to why this is so.

In past years, there have been many major motion pictures that have caught the attention of many audiences, including the academy, of which African Americans have played a huge role. Some of these films include: "The Blind Side,"Precious,"12 Years a Slave,"Selma" and "The Color Purple."

The nomination of black actors has also traced quite a few years back. People like Jennifer Hudson, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Barkhad Abdi, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Halle Berry, have all been nominated for, or have won, awards at the Oscars in previous years.

One problem that we seem to be facing is the lack of movies utilizing the talents and abilities of black actors, producers, directors, etc. In past years, there have been many moving films that have really captured the essence of the actors that partook in the making of such wonderful projects like "Beasts of the Southern Wild,"The Help,"Captain Phillips,"and "12 Years A Slave." However, in recent years, there have not been movies made with such captivation and artistry.

Of course, two years is a long time to be had without more diversity among the academy, but it is not as though the 88 years of the Academy Awards have never witnessed the success of actors of color. Even for the upcoming 2016 Oscars, Chris Rock has been invited to host the awards, something that can be looked at as an honor.

So, what is your take on this matter? Was Jada right in initiating this boycott? Are there any actors that you would have rather seen (or not seen) in this year's nominees? Leave your thoughts in the comment section down below to further discuss this huge controversy!