Efforts of April Reign, Jada Pinkett and Many Others Result in a More Representative Oscar Nominees

In an affirmative repudiation of past Oscar seasons, this year’s Oscar nominees are much more diverse. A number of Black actors and actresses were nominated this year, including in the coveted Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories. Ruth Negga (Loving) was nominated in the Best Actress category. Viola Davis (Fences), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures) were all nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Hidden Figures which stars Spencer along with Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monae is nominated for Best Picture. Veteran actor Denzel Washington (Fences) was nominated for Best Actor and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category.

The seventy-plus year award ceremony came under a great deal of fire in recent years for nominating white actors and actresses almost exclusively resulting in the stinging yet accurate and ultimately effective, hashtag #OscarsSoWhite which was created by writer and editor April Reign. Reign, has often emphasized that the hashtag refers not only to the dearth of black actors who are nominated but also importantly, to the lack of actors of color in general. Incidentally actor Dev Patel, who is ethnically Indian but born and raised in Britain, was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category.

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith entered the fray last year as well issuing a video that went viral which criticized last year’s Oscar snubbing of black actors and actresses. The video generated controversy throughout last year’s Oscar season. Smith posed the question, “Have we now come to a new time and place where we recognize that we can no longer beg for the love, acknowledgment, rand espect of any group?” She also pointed out that the resources of people of color would probably be better served by using them to support other avenues established for recognition of excellence in the arts. Though she did not name any specific outlet, the NAACP has had its own Image Awards for over forty-five years. There are also the BET awards which was established in 2001. She and other actors went on to boycott last year’s 88th Annual Academy Awards, the more formal name for the Oscars.

Obviously, there is still work to be done in terms of broadening representation to reflect the makeup of the nation and the diversity of people who are in the film industry as well as assuring that this year does not become an outlier but the norm. Certain changes were made to improve the situation. The most significant of these was a change in the system by which actors became eligible to be members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, headed by Cheryl Boone Isaacs. The new system made the membership itself more diverse in terms of age as well as race. Of course, these are the people who do the voting for the nominees and the winners.

The 89th Annual Academy Awards will take place on February 26, 2017 on ABC and will be hosted by comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.Save

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