Oscars 2016: Lack of Diversity Gets #OscarsSoWhite Trending (Again)
Well, we know one thing Oscars host Chris Rock might cover in this year's monologue...
The 2016 Academy Awards will be handed out on February 28, and they will go to a bunch of very white winners. Entertainment Weekly quipped, "This is the whitest Oscars since last year," since every acting nominee this year -- out of 20 open slots, 10 for women, 10 for men -- is white.
No people of color were nominated in acting categories for a second straight year. No black directors were nominated, and no women of any color were nominated for director at all. Even the one Oscar nomination for "Straight Outta Compton" went to white writers.
"Straight Outta Compton," "Creed," and "Beasts of No Nation" were also overlooked as potential Best Picture nominees, in a field that can include up to 10 nominations. (This year there are eight.)
Tweeters used the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite to bemoan the lack of love for Idris Elba in "Beasts of No Nation" (the Academy may have no clue what to do with Netflix), Michael B. Jordan and/or Tessa Thompson for "Creed," Jason Mitchell and/or director F. Gary Gray for "Straight Outta Compton," Will Smith for "Concussion," Benicio Del Toro for "Sicario," anyone from Spike Lee's "Chi-raq," or ... anyone at all.
Here's just a taste of the online reaction:
Straight Outta Compton gets amazing reviews, breaks Box Office Records, critically acclaimed, and nothing...#OscarsSoWhite
— X (@XLNB) January 14, 2016
The #OscarsSoWhite hashtag is important because it raises awareness of minority erasure and points fingers back at the culprits.
— best of both worlds. (@MichellCClark) January 14, 2016
Theres a cruel irony to the fact that movies about N.W.A. and Nina Simone have only their white writers & director nominated. ???? #OscarNoms
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) January 14, 2016
I'm confused by the Beasts Of No Nation snub for Elba. Thought that was a definite. #OscarsSoWhite
— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) January 14, 2016
The thing about #OscarsSoWhite this year is that they really had options. CREED, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, BEASTS OF NO NATION. But: nada.
— Morgan Leigh Davies (@MLDavies) January 14, 2016
Not one person of color nominated in any acting category. #OscarNoms#OscarsSoWhite@emergingUShttps://t.co/d0bBL5KbKI
— Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) January 14, 2016
Reminder: Minorities are 37% of the U.S., bought 46% of movie tickets -- and got 0 Oscar acting noms. https://t.co/n0F5JdBIUp#OscarsSoWhite
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) January 14, 2016
Why do you think this is the case, once again, and do you think anything will change next year?
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