Cyrus Langhorne
The Academy Awards president Cheryl Boone Isaacs has come forward to speak out following publicized backlash over its exclusion of key African Americans in a handful of key categories for next month’s ceremony.
Isaacs issued a statement revealing her frustration Monday (January 18) and promised a change would come.
“I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion,” she said in statement issued Monday evening. “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.” (NY Daily News)
Movie director Spike Lee dished out his frustrations with the Oscars going with all-white nominees this awards season Monday (January 18).
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith spoke out against the Academy Awards had overlooked people of color in Hollywood films.
“Hi, today is Martin Luther King’s birthday and I cannot help but ask the question, is it time that people of color recognize how much power influence we have amassed that we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere. I ask the question, have we now come to a new time and place where we recognize that we can no longer beg for the love, acknowledgement or respect of any group – I’m simply asking a question. Here’s what I believe. The Academy has the right to acknowledge whomever they choose, to invite whomever they choose and now I think it’s our responsibility now to make the change. Maybe it’s time we pull back our resources and put them back into our communities and into our programs and we make programs for ourselves that acknowledge us in ways we see fit that are just as good as the so-called ‘mainstream’ ones. I don’t know. Here’s what I’d do. Begging for acknowledgement and asking diminishes dignity and diminishes power and we are a dignified people and powerful. Let’s not forget it. So, let’s let the Academy do them, with all grace and love, and let’s do us differently. I got nothing but love. And [host] Chris [Rock], I will not be at the Academy Awards and I won’t be watching, but I can’t think of a better man to do the job at hand this year than you my friend. Good luck. And to the rest of you, nothing but love, always.” (Facebook)
We must stand in our power.
Posted by Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday, January 18, 2016
Smith went on a mini-Twitter tirade this past weekend and expressed an interest in possibly falling back on attending the yearly Oscars.
So what people need to be nominated due toe skin color and race and not performance??? Anybody who thinks Will Smith should win a damn Oscar for concussion is crazy!! Cool move good story but Oscar worthy?? Na
Oh cry me a fucking river. Will you 2 billionaires shut ya fucking whiney asses up already. For fuck sakes. I swear aint shit but crybabys today.
Sadly you two are so white washed you missed their points all together. No one thinks they should be honored because of they’re race. But there’s something to be said when black actors deliver amazing performances, and out of 40 slots not one black artist was good enough for a nod! Read before you speak, they have perspective, you two should gain some.
they didnt try to understand the meaning of the protest etc. dont waste time. its not complex.
Everyone got it dumb ass.
Nah aint nobody miss they lame ass point. They just fucking crybabys. I dont hear white folks bitching about what they dont get nominated for on BET awards. GTFO with this shit. Niggaz just act like pussys these days. Always whining.
So what people need to be nominated due toe skin color and race and not performance??? Anybody who thinks Will Smith should win a damn Oscar for concussion is crazy!! Cool move good story but Oscar worthy?? Na
Oh cry me a fucking river. Will you 2 billionaires shut ya fucking whiney asses up already. For fuck sakes. I swear aint shit but crybabys today.
Sadly you two are so white washed you missed their points all together. No one thinks they should be honored because of they’re race. But there’s something to be said when black actors deliver amazing performances, and out of 40 slots not one black artist was good enough for a nod! Read before you speak, they have perspective, you two should gain some.
they didnt try to understand the meaning of the protest etc. dont waste time. its not complex.
Nah aint nobody miss they lame ass point. They just fucking crybabys. I dont hear white folks bitching about what they dont get nominated for on BET awards. GTFO with this shit. Niggaz just act like pussys these days. Always whining.
Everyone got it dumb ass.