Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton is speaking up against the lack of diversity of the Oscar nominations. He says that him or his colleagues at the National Action Network might stage ‘actions’ in protest before or during the Academy Awards. Rev. Al Sharpton believes that it was “appallingly insulting in the year of 2015 that the 20 Academy Awards acting nominations went only to white actors and actresses.” Read more on the story after the jump!
The lack of diversity of the Oscar nominations has caused a stir of criticism from the civil rights leader. He thinks that the Oscars should be nominated for a prize itself for “worst display of diversity in a major awards ceremony.” Sharpton said, “In the time of Staten Island and Ferguson, to have one of the most shutout Oscar nights in recent memory is something that is incongruous.” The list of Oscar nominations, was highly criticized for its lack of diversity in the major acting categories. It is the second time since 2000 that no black actors or actresses were nominated. One of the most talked about Oscar nomination snubs was David Oyelowo. Oyelowo portrayed the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma” and he was not nominated for the best actor category and Ava DuVernay, who directed “Selma” was also not nominated for best director. DuVernay would have made history by being the first African-American woman nominated in the category if she was nominated.
Sharpton is planning to meet next week with his colleagues and allies to discuss the “potential actions” that can be made before the award ceremony. He states, “The only category we’re well represented is in the best picture nomination and it’s a movie about blacks being shut out of society…and now we’re shut out of Hollywood.” Yvette Clarke, New York Democratic Rep. and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, says “A lack of diversity remains a serious problem in Hollywood, where the voices of African-Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans have historically been excluded from film studios, from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and on screen…our films should reflect the diversity of our society in the 21st century.”
The award show is set to premiere on Feb. 22nd.
