The Importance Of Diversity In The Academy Awards
Racist Hollywood
The lack of diversity in the nominations in the Academy Awards has been a recent hot topic. There hasn’t been a person of color nominated for an Oscar in the top acting categories over the last two years. This lack of diversity in the nominations is not just a recent problem. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have handed out awards to the best in film since 1929. Since then, 93.8% of nominees in the top acting categories, along with best director, have been white. Though The Academy isn’t the only issue, The Oscars is just the tip of the spear. The real diversity issues start at the very top, with the people who are green-lighting films. The 2015 report by the University of Los Angeles, which studied diversity in 2012 and 2013 films, found that film studio heads, who make the decisions of what films get scrapped or green-lit, were 94% white and 100% male. Not only is there an imbalance of racially diverse actors in films and theater, white actors are taking over many controversial ethnic roles as well. Producers and directors hold a moral responsibility when choosing actors and writing a script for an audience, to be respectful and …show more content…
Ben Dreyfuss, author of, 10 movies about Freedom of Expression Hollywood Should Rewatch ASAP, points out, “Standing up to the forces of artistic oppression and censorship is the main lesson of literally every single film Hollywood has ever made. “It may not be the writer's job when casting roles, to be politically correct. It is however, a decision that should be considered in all areas, because it can have a substantial impact on society. Though, this freedom should not be misused. When ethnic cultures are depicted in demeaning and shameful ways, people may not realize that they are not like that in real
The lack of diversity in the nominations in the Academy Awards has been a recent hot topic. There hasn’t been a person of color nominated for an Oscar in the top acting categories over the last two years. This lack of diversity in the nominations is not just a recent problem. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have handed out awards to the best in film since 1929. Since then, 93.8% of nominees in the top acting categories, along with best director, have been white. Though The Academy isn’t the only issue, The Oscars is just the tip of the spear. The real diversity issues start at the very top, with the people who are green-lighting films. The 2015 report by the University of Los Angeles, which studied diversity in 2012 and 2013 films, found that film studio heads, who make the decisions of what films get scrapped or green-lit, were 94% white and 100% male. Not only is there an imbalance of racially diverse actors in films and theater, white actors are taking over many controversial ethnic roles as well. Producers and directors hold a moral responsibility when choosing actors and writing a script for an audience, to be respectful and …show more content…
Ben Dreyfuss, author of, 10 movies about Freedom of Expression Hollywood Should Rewatch ASAP, points out, “Standing up to the forces of artistic oppression and censorship is the main lesson of literally every single film Hollywood has ever made. “It may not be the writer's job when casting roles, to be politically correct. It is however, a decision that should be considered in all areas, because it can have a substantial impact on society. Though, this freedom should not be misused. When ethnic cultures are depicted in demeaning and shameful ways, people may not realize that they are not like that in real