With stars such asWill Smith,Jada Pinkett Smithand filmmakerSpike Leealready planning toboycottthis year’sAcademy Awardsceremony over a lack of diversity among the nominations, this issue has become a hot-button topic in Hollywood. Along with those boycotting, other Hollywood stars such asGeorge Clooney,Viola Davis,Reese WitherspoonandWhoopi Goldbergare calling for serious changes within the Academy. A new report fromEntertainment Weeklyreveals that the Academy’s Board of Governors are set to meet on Tuesday, where the diversity issue will be addressed.
The Tuesday session is part of the Board of Governors' regularly scheduled meetings, but certain board members revealed that the main topic of the meeting will be thediversitycontroversy. When thenominationsfor the88th Annual Academy Awardswere announced last Thursday, it marked the second year in a row that no actor or actress of color was nominated. Among the many snubs were African-Americans such asCreeddirectorRyan Coogler,Beasts of No NationstarIdris Elba,ConcussionstarWill Smith, along withStraight Outta Compton, a film lead by a young African-American cast which many felt should have been nominated forBest Picture.
TheNew York Timesreported yesterday that the Academy is considering a possible plan to expand the acting categories to 10 nominees, instead of five, while locking in the Best Picture nominees at 10. The Academy changed its rules in 2009, allowing for anywhere between five and 10 Best Picture choices. There have only been 10 nominees twice, in 2010 and 2011, and this year there are eight. Still, one member of the 51-person Board of Governors toldEntertainment Weeklythat expanding the field would only “devalue” the award itself.
“This is still supposed to be about honoring the best performances. Expanding the acting field to 10 only devalues that honor.”
Another Board of Governors member said that, while they have often discussed the possibility of contracting or expanding the Best Picture field, they have never discussed widening the acting categories.New York Timesreport also adds that Academy PresidentCheryl Boone-Isaacsand the Academy’s chief executive,Dawn Hudson, may call for voting restrictions, which would deny Academy members who haven’t been active in the film industry for a lengthy period of time, between 10 and 20 years, the right to vote. This rumored proposal is believed to be met with plenty of resistance.
Of the Academy’s 51 Board of Governors, only two are African-American,Cheryl Boone-Isaacsand cinematographer Daryn Okada. The Board of Governors is made up of 34 men and 17 women. We’ll keep you posted if any drastic changes are brought about at Tuesday’s meeting, so stay tuned for more updates. What are your thoughts about the Oscar diversity controversy?
