Ask a New Yorker: Are the 2016 Oscars Too White?

New Yorkers on the street weigh in on #OscarsSoWhite.

Feb 02, 2016
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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Hollywood's lack of diversity is nothing new, but this year's "whitewashed" Oscar nominations have drawn more ire than ever before. The 2016 Academy Award contenders, like last year, feature exactly zero actors of color.

In response, the Internet resurrected 2015 trending topic #OscarsSoWhite to protest the fact that films with minority talent, including Creed, Straight Outta Compton, and Concussion, were overlooked. Criticism was so pervasive that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences swiftly announced "diversity initiatives" that aim to double its minority and female membership.

Sure, the academy's announcement was a mea culpa of sorts, but the topic of racial diversity in the entertainment industry remains a divisive one. Are the Oscars "racist to whites," as Best Actress nominee Charlotte Rampling charged? Can we blame this lack of inclusion on the academy?

NTRSCTN took to the streets to ask New Yorkers how they felt about the lack of diversity among this year's Academy Award nominees. Here's what they had to say.

Steve M., 50

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"I don’t think it’s just about the Oscars. The Oscars represent the entire industry, and I think that’s what people are really talking about when they talk about the industry. It’s the Oscars; that's the epitome, right? I think diversity in mass media and pop culture in general is lacking. I think the images that are out there don’t necessarily reflect American society, whether it be race, religion, or gender for that matter."

 

Mike M., 24

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"I always take those reports with a little grain of salt, but it does seem like, especially with Creed—I saw and loved that movie—it’s important to recognize the diversity there is in Hollywood, and it’s not there. I am not an insider enough to comment about it and I do think that all the people who were nominated deserved it, but I think maybe it speaks to the academy and how who’s voting isn’t necessarily representative of the American people. It’s hard to pass that kind of judgment, but it would be good to see more diversity—not just at the Academy Awards, but in Hollywood in general. And I think that it’s [been] moving in that direction, generally, [for] the past few years; but the more, the better."

 

Janelle T., 33

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"I think there’s no way that you can say that there aren’t any great African-American actors, and I don’t think it was right that none of them were acknowledged for their work. They deserve to be nominated."

 

J.Q., 20s

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"I don't care, to be honest with you. I don't judge on diversity; I actually judge on the quality, on the merit of the film. You may not necessarily agree with who is the best actor or which movie is the best, but I care more about the movie itself. So far, if you’re watching the awards ceremony almost every year, I’ve never found diversity to be an issue. I don’t know if that’s a politically correct answer." 

 

Khalid S., 36

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"Do I take issue? As if I hadn’t taken issue before? I think that’s pretty much been standard for some years now. I mean going back—who’s the first [black] Oscar winner; was it Hattie [McDaniel]? For Gone With the Wind? As a maid? I haven’t seen much since then. I just saw a link of Eddie Murphy’s comments to the academy. I think that was in ‘87. Unfortunately, that still rings true today.

"I think oftentimes, we forget about the lack of diversity because we’re maybe distracted by a president that’s of African-American descent or a handful of other non-whites in significant roles, but the fact of the matter remains that there isn’t enough diversity in movies for most backgrounds. Whether they’re Middle Eastern and they’re all playing terrorists, or Asians, who thankfully have stopped playing the roles of the nerd and the beta-male, but we need to see more.

"It’s only appropriate that media reflect the makeup of the country. It’s about buying power. It’s time. But I don’t really watch the Oscars; I don’t care about that. But, I am certainly concerned about what’s on television and what children and other people are watching. Because that shapes how we see other people. And that’s a problem."

Zelda D., 65

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"There's never been a lack before, or in all the previous years. Just this year there wasn't one to nominate because they've always been very fair, I think."

 

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