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Too white, too male: Oscar nominations under fire

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Denzel didn't bring his A-game to The Equalizer, did he?

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Living in Japan, it is hard to see current movies, so I can't really judge the latest crop of movies and actor/actresses. However, in the past 15 years, 3 African Americans have won the best actor award (Washington, Whittiker, Fox). Halle Berry won the best actress.

Also, this year will be the first year in 3 that an African American didn't win the Best supporting Actress award.

So to say Hollywood snubs all black actors/actresses is a little bit of a stretch. Maybe there was a snub this year, I don't know. Ask me in 4 months, once I have seen all of these films.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

It's even worse for for Asian-American actors. Forget about Oscar nominations. That's a pipe dream for them. They barely get any decent movie roles. When was the last time one was in a leading or supporting role in a major Hollywood movie? When they say "non-white", it always mean just black, not Asian-American or Hispanic.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Black actors are very visible and prominent in movies and TV. The ones getting snubbed are Asian-American actors.

9 ( +12 / -2 )

I was hoping for an Academy that can just pick the pictures and actors that they really deem best. Maybe they did that here and maybe they didn't. I don't know since I haven't seen any of these movies.

But I would really hate to see the Academy nominate based on the # of blacks (or any other minorities for that matter) that are or aren't nominated.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

You got to be excellent to win a nomination not the right color it is like professional basketball you earn a spot on the team because you can play the game in an excellent way professional sports are not color coded

6 ( +6 / -0 )

If the Oscars want to become relevant, they need a voting body that is not made of 95% white men over 65. More women, more blacks,more Asians, more Hispanics, more young tastes, in short more different points of view - that's what's needed Otherwise, Oscar winning pictures will keep being the same boring, over-dramatized, historic stories of "triumph" that we've seen for decades now. YAWN

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Could it be possible that maybe the movies which were nominated for best picture and the actors/actresses who were nominated for best male and female roles just were BETTER than all the rest, and in this case, the rest happens to be Black, Asian, Hispanic, whatever? I mean, I think it's equally racist to call foul when Blacks AREN'T nominated, as though they should DESERVE to be nominated based on the color of their skin and forget the fact that maybe, just maaaaybe their acting wasn't as good as, say, the ensemble cast in Boyhood, or the guy who did his best imitation of Stephen Hawking? And by the way, I saw Selma and loooooved it, but compared to the Theory of Everything or Boyhood (both which I saw and enjoyed), it doesn't even BEGIN to hold a candle to those films. And who cares if the people who make up the Oscar voting are mostly white? Isn't it equally racist and also a demonstration of ageism to accuse them of not honoring black films and black people in films because of the voter's age and skin color? If I was a member of the academy who was over 65 and white, I would truly resent the sentiment that a black film or a black actor couldn't touch my heart in some way. I think it's HIGHLY presumptuous to assume that the color of the VOTER'S SKIN had anything to do with judging the merit of the movies those voters picked. SHAME on the black community for even beginning to think in the same way that they don't want the white community to think about them! Just because you are black doesn't give you the right to judge and assume such stereotypes about white folk either. ps-Before you even say it or comment about it, I'M NOT WHITE.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

The ones getting snubbed are Asian-American actors.

Good point. Often when Americans discuss race, they think "black" or possibly hispanic. Actually, black actors have done fairly well - there are a number of A-listers and they can play any leading man (I note a dearth of black women actors).

Asian actors have it hard - most of the roles they are cast in are Asian-specific - martial arts etc.

Apparently the next James Bond might be a black actor. The chances of him being played by an East Asian are minimal to non-existent.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Here comes affirmative action for the Oscars! rolls eyes

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Isn't there nothing that Sharpton won't try to get his claws into? What happened last year? 12 years a slave won best picture. An amazing moving. Chiwetelu Ejiofor was nominated for best performance in a leading role and Lupita Nyong 'o an Oscar winner. The problem is, there aren't enough Black directors and writers when you compare that to White directors and writers. You have successful people like Tyler Perry, Spike Lee, Steve McQueen, Bill Duke these are the most famous directors/writers. There is no doubt in my mind if more blacks got into the directors chair and made more black movies, we would see more come up for nomination consideration or at least have more films in the mix, but know the film industry quite well, I don't think for one moment race had anything to do with this. Another problem is the ratio or Black actors compared to the directors/writers in the chair.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Let's just give Al Sharpton an award for Best Actor in a Leading Role- Mayor of N.Y.C.! $$$$ Talks in Tinsletown and always will!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

I work in the movie business, though certainly not at the Academy level. When it comes to the awards. Black actors are definitely underrepresented. native American actors are just getting a foot in the door. Asian actors are virtually invisible. The fact that Tak Sakaguchi has not been cast to star in a major American movie is a freakin crime, as I see it. I could mention a dozen other actors, male and female who should be getting attention.

I used to be a great fan of the Academy Awards. But the last few years, they've become a joke, offending both my taste in films and my love of movies. And the sad fact is, the vast majority of the people who do the voting don't even watch most of the movies up for nomination. Way I see it, if you're privileged to vote, watch the damn movies or give up your vote. And get some normal people voting. I'd watch the movies and vote, but I don't have enough credits to be in that exalted position.

The situation needs to change. It used to be an honor to receive an Oscar. Now, it's almost a mark of shame.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

So the same people calling everybody else racist and sexist - are racist and sexist. You see if the numbers don't add up it proves guilt. The Left's legal theory is called disparate impact. Therefore, the Hollywood Left is guilty of being racist and sexist just as the Obama administration is sexist because it refuses to pay it's female employees the same as it's male employees. Hey it's their legal theory not mine.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I think there is an argument for changing how the Oscars are voted on. The fact that members get a lifetime membership means that of course the ones voting for Oscars are going to be older. And the older they are, the less in touch they will be with modern times and modern tastes.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Too white and too male. That is the charge facing the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences after it.....

Prestigious?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Having seen none of these movies I really can't say, but is it at all possible the people who were nominated are being nominated truly because they were better and that it's not about race? I mean, for something to be truly random (ie. not limited in number to aspects like race or gender) the potential should exist for EVERY SINGLE nominee to be white, or black, and the idea that it should be a mix of both goes against the idea that it should be based on merit (I won't deny bias may be involved). You can't have a man win an award for best actress, right? because the categories are separate. If people truly want equal nominations based on race and not on talent, make separate categories for Whites and Blacks and see how that step backward works. I certainly would never complain if it were an all Black list of nominees, or all Asian, so long as the acting was deserving of it. Do the people complaining want to see a more diverse mix simply because it's more diverse? Would they be happy to know the winners won because they are Black, and not because they were more talented or did a better job this particular round?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Al put s abadtaste in the mouth of blacks. He needs to go away.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I thought this was about the republican party, but I didn't see angry so realized my mistake.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yup, yup, so, if there ISN'T ENOUGH BLACK involved, then it's NOT fair..neverMIND whether the AWARD is actually WARRANTED.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I think the Oscars are nonsense anyway, but what do these people want? A race and gender quota for film awards? Do these people not realize that by introducing them they would remove whatever value these awards have?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What I find interesting is that many posting here think all the actors & actresses are from the USA..............

XXX-American, YYY-American ZZZ-American yada yada yada ................LOL!

HELLO!!!!! not all actors/actresses are from the US of A!!

Just sayin!

Carry on!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The NBA & NFL are too black. Somebody please tell Al Sharpton to call another emergency meeting.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Well it looks like the liberal socialist democrats of america were not satisfied with inventing racism out of ferguson to instigate riots, now they are moving to the oscars. I guess they forgot the vast majority of hollywood is also a liberal socialist and generally on their side. Lets forget the democrats have always been the party to create racism in the past.

Now they are adding a fantasy gender bias, I have to assume is to make it seem like they are not just race baiting.

Which is extra in amusement considering the Oscars are run by an African american WOMAN. Should we break up the US basketball teams for their race and gender bias?

So the leftist in america would have us believe an african america woman is being biased against her own race and gender? Yeah right.

Pay no attention to the claims of bias in the Oscars, it is completely false as are most of the claims of discrimination spouted by the left wing progressives of america

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There was some article recently that said Selma portrayed LBJ incorrectly. That may be enough for the Academy not to send welcome mat.

Not really up on all that. But at a guess, if LBJ demonization is purview of East Coast Kennedyites, it doesn't necessarily apply to West-Coast-based liberal Academy members. Maybe they remember LBJ and the Great Society more fondly.

Selma has won a lot of awards already, see the other link. But if it won those based on the topic and not, for example, actual directorial skills in the case of all the Best Director awards, wouldn't necessarily expect the Academy to bestow a Best Director nomination on it. Or maybe that happens some years, but not every year, and this is not the year.

Or maybe the members are just tired of that genre. It's only been a year since 12 Years a Slave won!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_%28film%29#Controversies_regarding_historical_accuracy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_%28film%29#Awards_and_nominations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_12_Years_a_Slave_%28film%29

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What we need is a new show! What defines best picture anyway? Is it only based on drama or a serious tone?

If I had a vote Guardians of the Galaxy would be right up there. I experienced every human emotion possible in that movie. A great movie is NOT the emotions that the actors portray but the feelings they stir up inside us as well.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Seems that everything in terms of awards or achievement has to be in line with demographics or it sparks outrage. That includes gender, race, sexuality and whatever. soon will be hair colour, favourite food. any category can be dreamed up and then apprently discriminated against.......

0 ( +0 / -0 )

more white Olympic sprinters. and basketball players. and rappers. and East Asian racing drivers. and South Asian soccer players. let's start a campaign.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Lots of smoke, mirrors and reverse racism here. Only 14% of the USA is black and I would venture to say the % of blacks on TV, advertisements of any kind and also in movies is much much higher than 14%. Race is played out so much in the USA that it becomes an everyday boring topic to make/create news that does not really happen like those banal reality programs made for the moron masses. In Japan and most foreign countries you never hear about all this reverse racist propaganda. Why? Because it is not real and only made up by the liberal left wing media to deflect any attempts to comer their true political motives.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

1 year could just be an anomaly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You can't have a man win an award for best actress, right? because the categories are separate. If people truly want equal nominations based on race and not on talent, make separate categories for Whites and Blacks and see how that step backward works.

It is another sign of Hollywood's and the Left's nonsensical worldview. Based on what they say they believe, there should not even be separate awards based on sex. Ironically they insist on calling women 'actors' instead of actresses but will not judge them against male 'actors'. If it is actually legitimate to treat people differently based on their sex, then they might as well have separate but equal awards for each racial category they can come up with.

Race and other divisions are the never ending preoccupation of the American Left. Wouldn't it be nice for them to some day judge all people based on the content of their character instead? Nah, that's the backbone of their ideological reason for existence.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Who gives a hoot! As an individual, if you like certain movies and certain actors and actresses make your own judgement.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Media is just getting around to this now?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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