‘The Revenant’ becomes Oscar front-runner; actors of color ignored

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio poses for the photographers as he arrives for the screening of the movie The Revenant in Rome, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

“‘Carol’ – NY Critics loved it, best movie, Academy members ignored it for Best Picture and Todd Haynes for Best Director”. “The Revenant” received the most nominations, 12, and “Mad Max: Fury Road” drew 10. Beyond that, the only signs of diversity in the writing and directing categories were the nominations for Mexican film director Alejandro G. Inarritu for “The Revenant” and Filipino screenwriter Ronnie del Carmen, who is one of several writers nominated for “Inside Out”.

Stars of the NWA biopic Straight Out of Compton and Concussion star Will Smith also missed out.

Arts and Sciences an awkward repeat of the “OscarsSoWhite” backlash that followed last year’s acting nominees.

The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on February 28.

Redmayne secured his nomination for his role as a transgender artist in The Danish Girl and will also compete with Irish actor Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs, Matt Damon for The Martian and Bryan Cranston for Trumbo.

For best actress, “Carol” star Cate Blanchett and “Room” star Brie Larson, who portrayed a kidnapped mother living in captivity with her son, are seen as the favorites in a category that also includes veteran British actress Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years”). The bio-epic about the rap group N.W.A. did receive one nomination for best screenplay, and that was on behalf of two Caucasian writers. Once again, all of the major acting nominees are white, begging the question – is the Academy overlooking actors and filmmakers of color? DiCaprio’s costar Tom Hardy is nominated in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role category. “Straight Outta Compton” was nominated for Best Screenplay – but all of its writers are white.

Speaking after yesterday’s announcement, Boone Isaacs – who became the first African American to take over the presidency of the Academy in 2013 – said of the organisation’s diversity attempts: “we have got to speed it up”.

“We seek resolutions because “Carol” was the best movie of 2015 and the Academy is too conventional to recognize its brilliance”.

Micheal Keaton and Rachel McAdams in “Spotlight”.

Paul Newman had the previous mark – 26 years – for being nominated for playing Fast Eddie Felson in 1960’s “The Hustler” and 1986’s “The Color of Money”.