Featured

George Clooney and Lupita Nyong'o add critics to Oscars 2016

Oscar-winning actor George Clooney has accused the Academy Awards of “moving in the wrong direction” amid controversy over lack of diversity.
For the second year running, no black or minority actors have been nominated in the four Oscars acting categories.
Star Wars actress Lupita Nyong’o also said she is “disappointed by the lack of inclusion” in the nominations.
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs vowed to review its membership as stars pledged to boycott the ceremony.
Clooney, who has won two Academy Awards, said: “We need to get better at this. We used to be better at it.”
Nyong’o, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for 12 Years a Slave in 2014, wrote on Instagram that she stands with those “calling for change” and that the awards should be a “diverse reflection of the best of what our art has to offer today”.
And British director Steve McQueen, whose 12 Years a Slave won best film, has said black actors need to be given a “fair bite”.
Speaking to Variety, Clooney said: “If you think back 10 years ago, the Academy was doing a better job.
“Think about how many more African Americans were nominated. I would also make the argument, I don’t think it’s a problem of who you’re picking as much as it is: How many options are available to minorities in film, particularly in quality films?”
He said African Americans “have a real fair point that the industry isn’t representing them well enough”, arguing that Creed, Concussion, Beasts of No Nation and Straight Outta Compton should have received more nominations.
“I think around 2004, certainly there were black nominees – like Don Cheadle, Morgan Freeman,” said Clooney. “And all of a sudden, you feel like we’re moving in the wrong direction. There were nominations left off the table.”
He added: “By the way, we’re talking about African Americans. For Hispanics, it’s even worse. We need to get better at this. We used to be better at it.”

Related Articles

Back to top button