Charlotte Rampling Backtracks On Comment That Diversifying Oscars Is ‘Racist To Whites’

British actress and first-time Academy Award nominee Charlotte Rampling said Friday that her comments calling the boycott of the Oscars protesting the absence of black actors and directors “racist toward whites”, was misinterpreted.

In a statement to CBS News, Rampling, who is nominated in the best actress category, said: “I regret that my comments could have been misinterpreted”. “Why classify people”, she asks, with a reasonableness that already is generating a backlash in Hollywood and the media. We live in a country now where everyone is more or less accepted. “There are always questions about whether such-and-such a person is less handsome, such-and-such is too black, such-and-such is too blonde. There is always someone who says ‘You are too…’ So are we going to say, ‘We will categorise all that to make lots of minorities everywhere?”‘

“Diversity in our industry is an important issue that needs to be addressed”, she said.

Ouch. There are few things more deflating of your public hissy fit than a crisp “No comment” from Charlotte Rampling. “It is racist to whites”, Rampling told during the interview. Left to right, top to bottom, are best actor nominees Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender, Eddie Redmayne, and Leonardo DiCaprio; best actress nominees Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Charlotte Rampling, Jennifer Lawrence and Cate Blanchett; best supporting actor nominees Mark Rylance, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Sylvester Stallone and Mark Ruffalo; best supporting actress nominees Alicia Vikander, Rachel McAdams, Rooney Mara, Kate Winslet and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

On Friday, the academy pledged to double the number of female and minority members by 2020.

The 69-year-old 45 Years actress spoke out in an interview conducted in French on Europe 1.

She announced plans for an “ambitious, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity”.

Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs have also voiced their disappointment.

Some viewed comments from her as surprising, as she lives in France and isn’t engaged in the inside world of the American film industry. “You got to give a good performance, and I’m sure there were very good (performances)”, reports People Magazine.

Diversity campaigners called her comments ill-thought-out and “silly”.It follows a week of global debate about this year’s Oscars. I think nowadays we are living in easily offended societies.

“One good step in a long, complicated journey for people of color + women artists”, the Selma director tweeted.