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While Ice Cube seems unbothered by the N.W.A biopic, “Straight Outta Compton” being omitted from additional categories at this year’s Oscars, black community leaders have started to take proactive steps on the issue.
Following the Academy’s Thursday morning announcement of the 2016 Oscars nominees, Rev. Al Sharpton blasted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its blatant lack of diversity in this year’s nominations.
“Hollywood is like the Rocky Mountains, the higher up you get the whiter it gets and this year’s Academy Awards will be yet another Rocky Mountain Oscars,” Sharpton said in a statement provided by the National Action Network. “Yet again, deserving black actors and directors were ignored by the Academy — which reinforces the fact that there are few if any blacks with real power in Hollywood. Being left out of awards consideration is about more than just recognition for a job well-done; winning an Oscar has long-lasting cultural and economic impacts.”
Sharpton’s comments weren’t the first time he addressed the diversity problem in Hollywood. In 2014, after a leaked racist email exchange between then-Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal and a Hollywood producer were exposed, Sharpton met with Pascal to discuss plans to bring equality to the film industry.
Next month, Sharpton and the National Action Network intend to call out studios and film industry leaders “who aren’t living up to their obligations,” during a Hollywood Summit
The group’s Los Angeles chapter is also urging viewers to boycott the Oscar’s Feb. 28, telecast in an effort to impact the show’s ratings and advertising interest, according to the chapter’s political director Najee Ali.
“The lack of African Americans and women excluded from the major categories of Oscar nominees is appalling,” Ali said in a statement to The Wrap. “Cheryl Boone Issacs, the African-American president of the academy, is nothing but a pawn, and the black face of Hollywood’s system and culture that is racist, sexist and lacks true diversity.”
The 88th annual Academy Awards, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live on ABC on Feb. 28.
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The “Spotlight” ensemble had too many cooks in the Boston Globe kitchen. Open Road Films campaigned for everyone in the cast as supporting players, and it seemed like Michael Keaton — arguably the film’s standout — could become the guy to beat in this category. But then the SAG Awards snubbed both him and Mark Ruffalo, and BAFTA put him in the lead category, making it apparent that the campaign strategy wasn’t effective. It worked out in Ruffalo’s favor, but Keaton lost his spot to Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”).
The Weinstein Company
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Paul Dano is effectively a co-lead in “Love & Mercy,” where he plays Brian Wilson during the recording of the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds.” He’s stunning in the role, but despite nods from the Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards, Dano didn’t have the star power to avoid such category confusion.
Walt Disney Studios
“The Martian” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” were always destined to occupy the category’s blockbuster slots, and the Force’s fate was pretty much sealed when the Producers Guild of America left this movie off its awards shortlist. Fingers crossed this won’t damage the box-office potential.
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This would have been Jane Fonda’s first Oscar nod in 29 years. But she was only in “Youth” for five minutes, and the movie was far too polarizing for the Academy to single her out. Rachel McAdams’ “Spotlight” work took Fonda’s spot.
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Quentin Tarantino has won this award twice, and he seemed destined to secure at least a nomination this year. But the long, bloody “Hateful Eight” script didn’t register with the Academy. Instead, “Ex Machina” scribe Alex Garland and “Straight Outta Compton” writers Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff left Tarantino stuck at Minnie’s Haberdashery.
Universal
This crowd-pleasing NWA biopic stunned enough of the industry to score a Best Ensemble nod at the SAG Awards, but not enough to crack Best Picture.
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We will forever look back at the 2016 Oscar race as the time 9-year-old Jacob Tremblay became a star. His remarkable “Room” performance scored a SAG nod, but he is technically a co-lead in the film, even if A24 thought a supporting nomination would be more feasible. Whether it was category confusion or his age that hurt him, Tremblay will have plenty more opportunities to waltz across the Oscar stage.
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Will Smith was always a dicey bet in this derby, especially without that SAG nod. Best Actor was just too much like a dull game of musical chairs this year, and Smith was tasked with ousting the likes of Johnny Depp, Bryan Cranston and Tom Hanks. With overwrought awards bait like “Concussion,” he couldn’t swing it.
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Despite the wise critics’ groups that gave Kristen Stewart their supporting-actress prize, this movie was just too under-the-radar for the Academy.
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Amy Schumer’s debut script made the cutoff with the Writers Guild Awards, but it didn’t rate as favorably with the Academy’s writers branch.
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Seen as a pacesetter in this category, Ridley Scott missed out on what would have been his third Best Director nomination. It’s a shame, too, because “The Martian” is a piece of craftsmanship.
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Michael Shannon started awards season as a second-tier contender at best, but after a surprise SAG nomination, he seemed like a viable contender. That didn’t translate to the Oscars, but make no mistake: His “99 Homes” performance is fierce.
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Sadly, Michael B. Jordan was always on the outskirts of this category — but a movie lover can dream, just like Donnie Johnson did in “Creed.”
Walt DIsney Studios
Pixar movies are often shoo-ins for Best Animated Feature, but “The Good Dinosaur” didn’t enjoy the studio’s typically glowing reviews. The less-conventional “When Marnie Was There” took its spot. But don’t mourn for Pixar too hard: “Inside Out” will probably win this award.
HBO
Alex Gibney’s acclaimed exposé missed out on a Best Documentary nod, as did “The Hunting Ground,” “He Named Me Malala,” “Meru,” “Best of Enemies” and “Where to Invade Next.” Instead, “What Happened, Miss Simone?” and “Winter on Fire” rounded out the category.
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