Idris Alba, Queen Latifah, Viola Davis & More Talk #OscarSoWhite at SAG Awards

Over the weekend the Screen Actors Guild Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. While the biggest story in Hollywood is arguably the Academy Awards’ recent lack of diversity, for failing to nominate a single actor of color for the second year in a row, things were decidedly different when it came to the SAG Awards.

The atmosphere was so heavy with change, it prompted two-time winner Idris Alba, who took home awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for “Beasts of No Nation” and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for “Luther,” to begin his presentation with “Welcome to the Diversity Awards.”

In many ways that’s what it was. A stark contrast from The Oscars with women and minorities being honored across multiple categories. Perhaps best noted by the cast of Orange is the New Black or maybe Amy Poehler and Tina Fey presenting the Life Achievement Award to Carol Burnett.

Whatever the case, the Screen Actors guild managed to not only nominate many women and artists of color, but to award multiple actors of diverse sex, race, sexual orientation and more for their performances on screen. To be fair, The SAG Awards categories include Movies, Television, Cable, and online shows like House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black in its ceremonies, making many more diverse projects eligible for voting and awards.

I spoke with many of the nominees and winners including Viola Davis, Idris Alba and Queen Latifah about #OscarsSoWhite and the subject of diversity as a whole on the carpet. Find out what they had to say below. Have a look and let me know your thoughts.