By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/oscarssowhite-the-sequel Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter #OscarsSoWhite, the sequel Arts Jan 14, 2016 2:05 PM EDT Last year, the Oscar nominations attracted criticism for nominating only white actors in all four acting categories for the first time in 20 years. That same year, “Selma,” the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic which featured a predominantly black cast, didn’t get much attention from Academy voters. The Oakland Tribune ran a headline that read, “And the Oscar for best Caucasian goes to…” Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs promised to do better. The 2016 Oscar nominations are in — and there’s not a nonwhite nominee in the actors bunch. And, again, #OscarsSoWhite is trending on Twitter. Maybe they're doing #OscarsSoWhite again because Hollywood loves sequels — Jessica Goldstein (@jessicagolds) January 14, 2016 "But what about 'Straight Outta Compton’ for Best Screenplay?" Two white folks wrote it. #OscarsSoWhite — Good Guy Chucky (@CharlesPulliam) January 14, 2016 What do you *mean* there's no diversity at the Oscars? #OscarNoms #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/KJJwX1qn6g — Mark S. Luckie (@marksluckie) January 14, 2016 Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu is the sole nonwhite nominee among the major categories for his movie “The Revenant.” Some critics had hoped nominations would come for “Straight Outta Compton,” the box office hit and biopic of rap supergroup N.W.A., Idris Elba of “Beasts of No Nation” or Michael B. Jordan of “Creed,” all movies that featured African-American characters. Instead, “Straight Outta Compton” got a nomination for best original screenplay, but its writers are white. None of the Academy love was extended to the film’s director, F. Gary Gray or any of the black lead actors. Sylvester Stallone was nominated for his supporting role in “Creed” while Jordan and the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, was not. Elba also was passed over. PBS NewsHour chief correspondent for arts Jeffrey Brown takes a look at the nominees, and remembers actor Alan Rickman, who died at the age of 69. Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiti Rodriguez of “Tangerine” were recognized by the Independent Spirit Awards, but the transgender actresses also did not receive Oscar nominations. At least Chris Rock is hosting. #OscarNoms — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) January 14, 2016 The Academy has long been criticized for having mostly white and male members, which does not match audience demographics. Minorities accounted for 46 percent of the $1.27 billion in tickets sold in the nation, despite making up 37 percent of the U.S. population, the Washington Post reported. In November, Boone announced a new diversity initiative, called A2020, in Hollywood. Months before the five-year plan was launched, the Academy president said she wished studio executives cared more about fair and equal representation in the film industry. However, she added that the Academy “has no power over Hollywood. We have nothing to do with hiring.” Director Spike Lee drove that point home when he, while accepting an honorary Oscar, said it was “easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than to be the head of a studio.” By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
Last year, the Oscar nominations attracted criticism for nominating only white actors in all four acting categories for the first time in 20 years. That same year, “Selma,” the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic which featured a predominantly black cast, didn’t get much attention from Academy voters. The Oakland Tribune ran a headline that read, “And the Oscar for best Caucasian goes to…” Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs promised to do better. The 2016 Oscar nominations are in — and there’s not a nonwhite nominee in the actors bunch. And, again, #OscarsSoWhite is trending on Twitter. Maybe they're doing #OscarsSoWhite again because Hollywood loves sequels — Jessica Goldstein (@jessicagolds) January 14, 2016 "But what about 'Straight Outta Compton’ for Best Screenplay?" Two white folks wrote it. #OscarsSoWhite — Good Guy Chucky (@CharlesPulliam) January 14, 2016 What do you *mean* there's no diversity at the Oscars? #OscarNoms #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/KJJwX1qn6g — Mark S. Luckie (@marksluckie) January 14, 2016 Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu is the sole nonwhite nominee among the major categories for his movie “The Revenant.” Some critics had hoped nominations would come for “Straight Outta Compton,” the box office hit and biopic of rap supergroup N.W.A., Idris Elba of “Beasts of No Nation” or Michael B. Jordan of “Creed,” all movies that featured African-American characters. Instead, “Straight Outta Compton” got a nomination for best original screenplay, but its writers are white. None of the Academy love was extended to the film’s director, F. Gary Gray or any of the black lead actors. Sylvester Stallone was nominated for his supporting role in “Creed” while Jordan and the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, was not. Elba also was passed over. PBS NewsHour chief correspondent for arts Jeffrey Brown takes a look at the nominees, and remembers actor Alan Rickman, who died at the age of 69. Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiti Rodriguez of “Tangerine” were recognized by the Independent Spirit Awards, but the transgender actresses also did not receive Oscar nominations. At least Chris Rock is hosting. #OscarNoms — Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) January 14, 2016 The Academy has long been criticized for having mostly white and male members, which does not match audience demographics. Minorities accounted for 46 percent of the $1.27 billion in tickets sold in the nation, despite making up 37 percent of the U.S. population, the Washington Post reported. In November, Boone announced a new diversity initiative, called A2020, in Hollywood. Months before the five-year plan was launched, the Academy president said she wished studio executives cared more about fair and equal representation in the film industry. However, she added that the Academy “has no power over Hollywood. We have nothing to do with hiring.” Director Spike Lee drove that point home when he, while accepting an honorary Oscar, said it was “easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than to be the head of a studio.”