It's award season and if you haven't heard yet, the Oscars are becoming one of the most heated debates in the media, with the alarming realization that this is the second year in a row where all of the nominees are white. Jada Pinkett-Smith announced she was boycotting the event and asked the same of her fellow black colleagues. Spike Lee said he would not attend.
It draws upon the typical Hollywood demographic and the question that members of the film industry should be asking themselves -- are we really that diverse as an industry? So many amazing movies have been made in the past 10 years that showcase the astonishing talent of the black community such as "Selma" and "12 Years a Slave."
The interest around this topic sparked another question of mine -- are people of color getting enough recognition in the industry? By polling friends and family, I came to the conclusion that the last black female or male winner of an Oscar was Lupita Nyong'o for best performance by an actress in a supporting role. For those that are keeping track -- this award was given to Ms. Nyong'o two years ago at the 2013 Oscars.
The shock that comes from the mainstream media also translates to the public that reads these articles. The students I talked to about who the last black actor or actress to win an Oscar was couldn't even remember who had won. When, in response, I told them it was Lupita Nyong'o, they were surprised that they forgot about the actress' first nomination and win two years ago.
As an observer, it no longer surprises me when an actor is not nominated or awarded for their achievements, like Will Smith for his performance in "Concussion." Some believe he was cheated out of a nomination, but these awards shows have a way of categorizing those that get nominated. They insist that they are not saying that he didn't deserve one, just that the movie did not fit the qualifications of the category.
An interesting article I read in USA Today talked about Tyrese Gibson calling for Chris Rock to step down as host, making comments about how Rock will not be able to "crack jokes" about the situation and bring light to it without losing some respect. However, some students I surveyed stated that he shouldn't step down for the professional aspect of it, as well as it ultimately being his career and his decision.
The controversy is obviously something that the Academy must start to take seriously. President Cheryl Boone Isaacs made a statement in response to all the rumors and issues surrounding the nominations,
"I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion (in the nominations)...This is a difficult but important conversation, and it's time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."- USA Today
Whether or not you're watching the Oscars, or boycotting with Jada Pinkett-Smith, the issue is still at hand, and should be spoken about and taken into consideration. These are issues we should be discussing in order to empower all those around us equally and to hold everyone to the same caliber of respect and value. It's time for the Academy to start evaluating their qualifications as to who gets the nominations, but it's also time to start endorsing films with more diversity in their casts.
