Charlotte Rampling says #OscarsSoWhite remark taken out of context

Rampling received backlash following her French radio interview on January 22, wherein she said that all the talk of an Oscars whitewash is actually anti-white. Adding on to that, Rampling said that she meant to say that in an ideal world, every performance will be given equal opportunities for consideration.

She added that she’s honored to be nominated for an Oscar, and that “diversity in our industry is an important issue that needs to be addressed”.

When asked to elaborate, Rampling said “one can never really know”, but that “perhaps sometimes black actors have not earned a place in the final running”. “We live now in countries where anyway people are more or less accepted”, she said.

The Academy, who run the the Oscars, say they will double the number of female and minority members they have over the next four years.

Rampling, who is revered in France and has starred in both French and English films, is nominated for best actress at this year’s Oscars for her role in 45 Years, a movie that depicts a couple whose long marriage begins to shatter after a life-changing event.

“There are always issues like “He is less good looking”, “He is too black”.

Rampling will compete against Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, and Saoirse Ronan for the Best Actress trophy at this year’s Oscars.

In a letter sent to members, President Cheryl Boone Isaacs outlined these changes which director Ava DuVernay shared online. “Are we going to classify thousands of little minorities everywhere?”

As the controversy surrounding the #OscarsSoWhite continues, actor Sir Michael Caine is sharing his opinion, telling black actors to “be patient” and wait for their nominations to come. Yet all it gets from the Academy is a single, white, nomination. For example, my late Japanese-American neighbor Bill, who became an Academy member many decades ago in an early diversity drive, continued to get minor credits late into life because he had this imposing Japanese Tough Guy face that only got more striking as he got older.

“People will always say, “him, he’s less handsome”; “him, he’s too black”; “he is too white” … someone will always be saying ‘you are too [this or that],’ Rampling said”.

Reese Witherspoon posted a message of support to the campaign for Oscars diversity, writing: ‘I really appreciated this article in TIME on the lack of racial and gender diversity in this year’s Oscar nominations. Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned girl and I like to be asked to dance, you know?

Others including actors George Clooney, Mark Ruffalo, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Viola Davis, and British director Steve McQueen have spoken of their disappointment with the lack of diversity among the nominees.