#OscarsSoWhite backlash prompts changes to academy membership

Expressing their frustration over the academy’s perceived slight of African-American stars, Hollywood titans Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith – Will Smith’s wife – announced they would not be attending the Oscars next month, and pressure has been on the host of the upcoming gala event, Chris Rock, to drop out.

What I say doesn’t take away from the strength of numerous performances. Otherwise, I guess we’ll miss the Smiths at the Oscars.

In regards to the action taken, Damon told Bustle: “I’m glad that Cheryl Boone Isaacs [Academy President] took some action”.

Debates have also emerged regarding this issue that has gone viral.

“You wanna boycott something?” I appreciate the fact that the vote was unanimous, which indicates to me that the academy is serious about making the organization more inclusive and more diverse.

“It was shameful and embarrassing that there were two years in a row without a single actor of colour nominated”. Rinko Kikuchi was nominated for best supporting actress in the 79th Oscars, but the award went to Jennifer Hudson for her role in “Dreamgirls”. “I’m not showing up”, he told Us Weekly. On the small screen achievement, “Master of None” won the best comedy series at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Award. Having grown up in India, religiously watching the Academy Awards each year in my hometown of Chennai as well as on the road during the years when I played professional tennis, I know how important it is for film fans around the world, especially a world as connected as the one we live in today, to know that Academy members vote from their heart and emotions and not based on color, race or gender. But it’d be a lot of fun to see how Hollywood liberals like being forced to abide by one of the bad laws they think everyone else in America should be forced to follow. But in the acting category, only 5 were minorities. To help Hollywood along in its struggle for inclusion, the National Urban League, the National Action Network and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation announced they’ve requested a meeting with the academy and film industry leaders. Countering a string of tweets from movie blogger David Poland, who doesn’t buy the diversity initiative, film historian and cultural commentator Mark Harris wrote: “Pretty much ready to unfollow, mute or block anyone who attempts to equate diversity with lowering of standards”. But it seems with the #OscarsSoWhite issue, that American dream seems to be dwindling.

NYU alumnus, Spike Lee, is one of the several prominent members of the film industry boycotting the Oscars this year. According to a 2012 investigation by the Los Angeles Times, not only is the membership overwhelmingly white, 77% are men, and their average age is sixty three.

It won’t be easy, or entirely fair to the academy membership. The films that scored an Oscar nomination, however, either did not do well in India or are yet to be released. Along with identifying new talent, they’ve also proposed to prevent Academy members from awards-season voting if they haven’t been active in the last ten years, a change that some members feel is misguided. Memberships will no longer be lifetime by default, but rather through activeness within the field.

The Board said its goal was to double the number of women and minority members by 2020.