‘Oscars So White’ Twitter Hashtag Attacks The Lack Of Diversity Among Oscar Nominees
On Twitter, “Oscars so white” has begun trending in response to the apparent lack of diversity in nominations for the award show. While some are showing outrage, others are simply poking fun.
In what has been called the greatest series of Oscar snubs, 2015 has proven to be the worst year for diversity, with not one black, Hispanic, or Asian actor being nominated. This is the first time it’s happened since 1998.
The list below, provided by Huffington Post, shows the list of minority Oscar nominations and wins over a period of nearly 20 years.
- 2014 – Lupita Nyong’o, Markhad Abdi, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
- 2013 – Denzel Washington and Quevenzhane Wallis
- 2012 – Demian Bichir, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer
- 2011 – Javier Bardem and Hailee Steinfeld
- 2010 – Gabourey Sidibe, Monique, Penelope Cruz, and Morgan Freeman
- 2009 – Taraji P. Henson
- 2008 – Ruby Dee and Javier Bardem
- 2007 – Forest Whitaker, Will Smith, Djimon Honsou, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Adriana Barraza, Penelope Cruz, and Rinko Kikuchi
- 2006 – Terrence Howard
- 2005 – Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sophie Okonedo, and Morgan Freeman
- 2004 – Djimon Honsou, Ken Watanabe, Benicio del Toro, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Keisha Castle-Hughes
- 2003 – Salma Hayek and Queen Latifah
- 2002 – Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Halle Berry, and Ben Kingsley
- 2001 – Javier Bardem and Benicio del Toro
- 2000 – Denzel Washington and Michael Clarke Duncan
- 1999 – Fernanda Montenegro
Since there were no minorities listed as nominees this year, the Twitter hashtag “Oscars so white” has erupted after a troubling period in racist relations.
After the recent police attacks involving white police officers and unarmed black men, which prompted comedian Chris Rock to tell the public that “white people” should own up to the actions of their “racist ancestors,” it seems rather suspect that the Oscar nominations would be all white.
Discussing #OscarsSoWhite and the lack of diversity in Hollywood on @HLNTV yesterday. http://t.co/S0c6gTNij0
— April (@ReignOfApril) January 16, 2015
Vulture’s Kyle Buchanan pointed out the lack of diversity in this year’s ceremony, and questioned the possibility that the Oscars committee is all white this time, spurring the #OscarsSoWhite Twitter hashtag. Not even Anthony Mackie or Samuel L. Jackson from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, or Oscar Isaac from A Most Violent Year, received a nod.
It is unknown if this is a serious problem due to an overwhelmingly white Oscars committee, or if minorities were simply not being given enough major roles last year.
What do you think of the “Oscars so white” Twitter hashtag?
[Image via Indie Wire]
