When the nominations for the 88th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning, the first thing many people noticed was that for the second year in a row, no actors of color were nominated in the four acting categories.
Even the nominees from films about minorities were white—Sylvester Stallone was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Creed, and the white screenwriters of Straight Outta Compton also received nominations.
Twitter users commented on this using the hashtags #OscarsSoWhite and (since this is now a pattern) #Oscars StillSoWhite. They also expressed hope that Oscar host Chris Rock would address the controversy in his monologue:
So every actor of color will be asked to present awards this year, just like the last time. #OscarsSoWhite
— Kennelia Stradwick (@Kennelia) January 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/macostarz/status/687689755958444033
Dear Academy, just because Hip Hop music scares you, doesn't mean you shut out phenomenal actors from #StraightOuttaCompton #OscarsSoWhite
— Melinna (@MelinnaTeatrina) January 14, 2016
W all due respect to Stallone, who was good, the white guy in one of most important black films of 2015 is who gets the nom? #OscarsSoWhite
— Rebecca Carroll (@rebel19) January 14, 2016
#OscarsSoWhite that Rocky got nominated in a movie about Apollo Creed's son.
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) January 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/MissNikkiStar/status/687680140885659648
https://twitter.com/jennyjaffe/status/687678193260691456
https://twitter.com/ItsMattSteele/status/687665265211904001
Sorry @MichaelB4Jordan and @IamWillSmith as soon as you play a drug dealer, gangster or slave you will win Oscar. #OscarsStillSoWhite
— Tara J, the advocate (@TaraTheAdvocate) January 14, 2016
I hope @chrisrock delivers the most hilarious and uncomfortable #Oscar opening ever. #OscarsStillSoWhite
— Chad Williams (@Dr_ChadWilliams) January 14, 2016
Will Mr. Rock and other presenters comment on the lack of diversity? We’ll have to wait until Feb. 28 to find out.
