A year after host Neil Patrick Harris quipped that the Oscars were honoring Hollywood\u2019s \u201cbest and whitest,\u201d the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled a slate of nominees Thursday that once again included no black actors or directors, prompting a dismayed revival of the \u201cOscarsSoWhite\u201d hashtag.<\/p>\n
Many also expressed regret that the highly admired N.W.A biopic \u201cStraight Outta Compton\u201d failed to score a best picture nod, despite being recognized in other contests. In acting categories, omissions included Idris Elba in \u201cBeasts of No Nation\u201d and Will Smith in \u201cConcussion.\u201d Director Ryan Coogler of the successful \u201cRocky\u201d spinoff \u201cCreed\u201d also failed to make the cut.<\/p>\n
Those voicing disappointment included the academy\u2019s president herself, Cheryl Boone Isaacs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really was disappointed,\u201d Isaacs told the Associated Press when asked about \u201cCompton,\u201d which received only a screenplay nomination (for, some noted on Twitter, its white screenwriters, not its black cast or director.) \u201cFabulous movie, fabulous movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Isaacs, who is black, added that the Oscar nominations are part of a much broader conversation in the entertainment industry about diversity \u2014 and that change would happen, albeit slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is important is that this entire conversation of diversity is here and we are talking about it,\u201d Isaacs said. \u201cAnd I think we will not just talk, because people will say, \u2018well don\u2019t just talk, you gotta do,\u2019 (but) talking gets to the doing, and we are going to do … It is an industry-wide situation and we need to continue this conversation. We need to bring in new talent, to nourish the talent, to allow it to flourish and to give us all the diversity of storytelling which is what the motion picture business is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was widespread surprise that the lack of diversity persisted despite the huge backlash a year ago when all acting nominees were white and there was only one director of color, Alejandro Inarritu (also nominated Thursday.) The omissions that caused the most consternation involved the lauded civil rights drama \u201cSelma\u201d; both its director, Ava DuVernay, and its star, David Oyelowo, were snubbed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s business as usual at the academy,\u201d said Gil Robertson, president of the African-American Film Critics Association, on Thursday. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to try again. After the whole debacle with \u2018Selma\u2019 and Ava DuVernay, you would have thought some lessons would have been learned. Nothing for Will Smith. Nothing for Idris Elba. Irony of ironies, the only actor who received a nomination for \u2018Creed\u2019 is white.\u201d (He was referring to Sylvester Stallone, who got a nod for supporting actor for reprising his role as Rocky Balboa.)<\/p>\n
Many tweeted their disapproval on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love @TheSlyStallone,\u201d wrote indie director Joe Carnahan, \u201cbut Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson & Ryan Coogler don\u2019t get noms for CREED!? Come on Academy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cZero nonwhite actors have been nominated for Oscars,\u201d tweeted the Tribeca Film Festival. \u201cThere\u2019s no excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCompton\u201d scored a screenplay nod, and one if its nominated writers said she sees hope for change on the diversity issue in Hollywood. \u201cI was actually at a town hall meeting on diversity last night, and I think it\u2019s an exciting time to be having this conversation in Hollywood,\u201d said writer Andrea Berloff. \u201cIt is not being ignored, and there\u2019s a lot of us working at a more grassroots level to try to turn the tides.\u201d<\/p>\n
Berloff added that there was a key positive note for women in the nominations list: four women nominated for their screenplays this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a huge success,\u201d Berloff said, \u201cand I hope we can really take the time to celebrate. It\u2019s a huge victory.\u201d<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
Associated Press writers Michael Cidoni Lennox and Sandy Cohen in Los Angeles and Jake Coyle in New York contributed to this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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