#OscarsSoWhite: American-African Actors Jada Pinkett Smith & Spike Lee Boycott Oscars 2016
News
oi-Chaitra
By Chaitra
Addressing
the
issue
of
lack
of
diversity
which
has
been
prevalent
in
Hollywood
and
Oscars
for
a
long
time,
Jada
Pinkett
Smith
and
Spike
Lee
announced
that
they
would
boycott
the
2016
Oscars.
They
would
neither
attend
it,
nor
watch
it.
The
88th
annual
Academy
Awards
nominations
were
announced
recently,
and
it
has
yet
again
disappointed
people
with
it's
all
white
nods.
No
actor
of
color
has
been
chosen
under
the
acting
category.
On
the
occasion
of
the
civil
rights
leader
Martin
Luther
King
Jr,
actor
Will
Smith's
wife
Jada
Pinkett
Smith
took
to
Facebook
to
post
a
video
addressing
her
disappointment
with
regard
to
the
issue.
In
the
video
she
said,
'Is
it
time
that
people
of
colour
recognize
how
much
power,
influence
that
we
have
amassed,
that
we
no
longer
need
to
ask
to
be
invited
anywhere,'
The
celebrity
went
on
to
say,
'Begging
for
acknowledgment,
or
even
asking,
diminishes
dignity
and
diminishes
power,
and
we
are
dignified
people
and
we
are
powerful.'
Will
Smith,
was
considered
an
Oscar
contender
for
his
role
in
'Concussion'
but
was
not
nominated.
All
the
20
nominees
are
unfortunately
are
white!
The
other
known
face
who
addressed
the
issue
of
lack
of
diversity
in
Oscars
was
the
director
and
actor
Spike
Lee,
who
has
previously
spoken
about
it,
too.
On
January
18,
2016,
Spike
Lee
took
to
Instagram
announce
that
he
will
boycott
the
Academy
Awards
this
year.
His
post
read,
'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,'
He
continued,
'Forty
white
actors
in
two
years
and
no
flava
at
all.
We
can't
act?!
WTF!!'
Upon
hearing
the
news
about
Jada
Pinkett
Smith
and
Spike
Lee
not
attending
the
Oscars
this
year,
the
president
of
Academy
of
Motion
Picture
Arts
and
Sciences
Cheryl
Boone
Isaacs
said,
'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.'
'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'.
She
continued.
It
is
surely
disappointing
to
see
such
discrimination
prevail
in
today's
society.
Especially,
in
industries
like
Hollywood
where
people
of
colour
have
achieved
so
much!