Chescaleigh’s Epic #OscarsSoWhite Nail Tutorial is a clever but damning Youtube video that is a pretty good indicator of what the younger, hipper up and comers think about Hollywood’s biggest night of the year. I think we’re kind of hitting fossil territory at this point, despite the Academy’s admirable efforts to diversify its membership – there is only so much you can do about the actors branch. The biggest branch in the Academy seem to be the worst offenders of only choosing the whitest of the white. Props to the writers this year – it has to be said – for nominated not just Phyllis Nagy for Carol, and Emma Donoghue for Room but for choosing three scripts about women, along with Brooklyn. Lots of male dudes on Twitter seem offended by this discussion. I can’t see how it hurts anything. It simply reminds Oscar voters to look around a little better when picking their nominees. Thanks to Twitter @laurabaptista for the link.
Youtuber Creates Nail Colors for #OscarsSoWhite
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Ex Machina. He’s had many critics award nominations and wins for it.
I haven’t seen Trumbo yet but Attah & MBJ should shined.. At least one of them should have been included.. I think Stallone deserves his nom though; he was brilliant in Creed.. Elba was good in BONN but I’m not sure if Oscar-worthy.. Oscar Isaac is indeed a great actor; is that for Star Wars or? And I am yet to see Tangerine.. Bale was OKAY in The Big Short; I think it’s the likeability of his character in it that won people over, as it did me..
I’m really not trying to be an ass. Honest I’m not. And I apologize if it came off that way.
What I am trying to do, sincerely, is get us to reflect on our role in this process. From what films we anticipate and look forward to (which was the largest chunk of what I wrote about), and yes, even to which actors we memorialize.
The decisions about whose name gets printed in the obituary pages really is a result of all the same slights and injustices that led to an all-white Oscar lineup. Perhaps more so because it’s the result of a lifetime of those injustices: Who got to go to acting school, who had arts and music and theater in their childhood schools, who got a call-back from that audition or a second chance, who had roles written for them, who was bankable enough to get cast or take a chance on, whose work got distributed widely enough to become “famous”, who audiences could relate to enough to make them happy.
You’re absolutely right that I don’t have a list of other deaths from last week that I can point to. But that doesn’t make me innocent. That makes me part of the problem. I know who these two English icons are, but I haven’t watched enough films from India or Brazil or the Philippines to know whose names I should be paying attention to. I haven’t watched enough tv from Mexico or Korea or South Africa to know which television stars should have been given bigger roles on the international movie stage. And I have no idea how many talented black, latino and asian musicians had their demo tape tossed in the circular file on the day that Bowie got his big break.
But all of that is really just a fancy way of saying that I didn’t watch the screeners (like academy members didn’t with Selma), or wasn’t open to their distribution methods (like academy members weren’t with Netflix and Beasts Of No Nation), or that I’m not familiar with the history and artistic forms that are being expressed (like academy members with Straight Outta Compton). And as a result, my sense of whose name should appear at the top of the obituary page is just as warped as an academy member’s idea of whose name should appear on the top of their ballot.
Awesome! The heat on the Academy is only going to grow from here on out. Look I have my misgivings about the whole SJW movement right now, but this is one of those fights worth having. Hollywood needs to wake the hell up. It’s not becoming an embarrassment, it is an embarrassment. If there are white folks out there flustered by this #oscarsowhite shitstorm, deal with it.
I’m sorry, but did we all miss an old non-white guy/girl who died the same week as Bowie and Rickman that deserved the same amount of attention and grief, or are you just being an ass here for the hell of it? Because if you weren’t just being an ass here for the hell of it, instead of taking a cheap shot at the respects given to a couple of people that made some people happy over the last few decades you would have taken the time to honor somebody else to restore some balance. Since you didn’t, I have to assume that you’re the one with the fucking “problem for sure”. But hey, two less old white guys hogging up the world for you!
I absolutely agree about calling out the directors, along with writers, executives and the higher up actors who have the luxury of choosing their parts. I suspect that it doesn’t get done more because it comes a little too close to calling out us — the audience! Whether that be the general public or just hard core cinephiles like ourselves.
The Academy is an easy target. Don’t get me wrong, they are proving to be a worthy target too. But an easy one nonetheless. Because we carve out and excuse the academy members that we happen to like. Spielberg’s an old white guy over 63. Bruce Dern and Kurt Russell and Ennio Morricone are all old white guys over 63, but we still go see The Hateful Eight. We all line up for films that are scored by John Williams, or shot by Roger Deakins, or produced by Ridley Scott: Why is that exactly? They’re all talented, no doubt, but the LEVELS of anticipation that we attach to their films wreaks of unexplored white supremacy to me.
When the campaigning for old white guy Sly Stallone first started for Creed, it was generally met with enthusiasm, instead of the suspicion that we now know it should have gotten. And even as the hashtag for #OscarsSoWhite were spreading, we didn’t seem to connect that with the fact that so much of the public was publicly mourning old white guys David Bowie and Alan Rickman (both 69).
The Academy has a problem, for sure. I’m just not sure that they are the only ones who are guilty of it.
You think Kitana Kiki Rodriguez gave a finer, more nuanced performance than Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years?
Um, ok.
I agree with this: Why do directors get a pass?
I love what Sasha does with her site. She calls out the industry for their lack of diversity and sexism. But she doesn’t often specifically say who is at fault. I’ve remember a snippet about Inarritu eschewing color now that he’s in the Hollywood fold, but I’ve not read anything about the likes of Spielberg and Scorsese and all the white males they employ.
Has directing the Color Purple earned Spielberg a free pass until the day he dies? Or is it the 20 year old Amistad?
And Scorsese has a horrible track record, minus the 40+ year old Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
These two directors have enough resources to nab whomever they want in their films. Both have had a greater influence on the film community than just about anybody else, yet all they get is praise from this site. This site is head-over-heels for just about anything they do, but not a peep about The Spielberg and Scorsese Country Club.
We see it all the time in the music world. Whites have been singing black music for decades now – and blacks performing traditionally white music, like opera, too, playing “white” parts. We don’t think about it. If that were true in film we would not think twice about a white King or a black LBJ.
I’d love to see a black, female and/or gay Bond.
(edit) We saw a “white King” and gave him an Oscar….. Sean Penn playing Harvey Milk.
Leonardo Dicaprio, Director A. Innaritu and the Producers of ‘The Revenant’ need to publicly apologize for not hiring any black actors for their film. There might’ve been 1 token actor tossed in the background, but where is their revisionism?
Nobody saw first THG for JLaw. She wans’t very known, it’s ludicrous to say that she opened the movie and brand name didn’t.
if they want female James Bond than they should greenlight Black Widow movie. Nobody needs female Indiana Jones unless her name is Lara Croft or female James Bond unless her name is Natasha Romanoff.
Exactly.
I got that Redmayne was a joke but not Lawrence. She’s probably just cynical about the whole thing like me.
This is hilarious!
We often talk about the awards narrative that gets told about particular movies each year, and I think the real problem that the Academy has now is that by doing this two years in a row, they’ve created a narrative that’s going to haunt them for a long time. If next year’s nominees aren’t diverse enough (by whichever standard the media decides to use), or if they snub even one portrayal that the public thinks should have been there, they’ll be accused of doing the same thing again. And if, by some miracle, next year’s nominees ARE diverse enough, with not only great nominees but even winners, they’ll be accused of over-compensating. After two years with no acting noms, we can pretty much write those news accounts now.
So I take it you’d have been cool with Johnny Depp playing MLK Jr. in “Selma.” Well, that’s fine, but I have to tell you that you are in the extreme minority there.
No, it’s time to call out SJWs like yourself. Your example is dumb as hell. Glass wasn’t black or Asian so there’s no reason to race-bend the casting just because it offends your SJW sensibilities. It is not a color blind role because fur trappers of that time were white. Casting another race would stick like a sour thumb because it would be an obvious statement rather than organic casting. same if they made Glass a woman. Also something that isn’t accurate for the era. Whether you like it or not, white people built this country so historical movies will be full of white leads. There.
Oh, and another thing. TFA opened because it’s Star Wars, not because there’s female lead and black lead. Star wars opens no matter what.
Why would it be sarcasm ? Many Young Adult movies had the same following as Hunger Games.. Divergent series for one but it did not make as much money and nor is Shailene Woodley as big a star. Sure she had help and all but her star power pushed those movies up. Very very few people in the grand scheme of things are sick of her and it is not her fault that the studios decided to split the movies into two and make them mediocre.
Sarcasm right? THG made 400M doemsticlaly when most people didn’t know who JLaw was while Mockingjay movies are nose-diving now that eevryone knows who she is (and many got sick of her).
Yes, Innaritu cashed in on the hundreds of millions Hollywood has invested in promoting Leo in order to make this particular movie the way he made it.
Move on, Make a different movie… one where you can utilize black actors.
Again, these hero directors are making racist choices. Time to call them out.
I chose my examples because they are more challenging.
Of course I saw it. I have an imagination. The Revenant in three hours is Goya’s single image, “The Stranger (Fight with Cudgels)”, with creepy Hollywood racial attitudes (yep, us STARS luv coloreds and it’s really hard). Better story with a black lead, IMO.
I would be good with a black Lincoln or a black Hitler. I don’t buy historical verisimilitude as an excuse for excluding black actors from parts.
She does open movies on her name. American hustle made upwards of 550 mil on her name. Hunger Games is a Billion Dollar franchise on her name.
Lets see. In the country where majority of population is still white and AMPAS reflects that (aka they are mostly white), it’s a surprise that people connect more with movies about white people? Nobody makes a fuss that Bollywood movies have no diversity or Chinese movies or European movies, etc. It’s only Hollywood’s problem and they have to pretend that reality is 50% white 50% blakc when it really isn’t.
BTW, it’s tiresome that diversity is now strictly a code for we need more black faces. Sucking up to Asians would be much more profitable considering that Hollywood movies with some Asian connection make boatloads of money over there. Nobody’s watching movies in Africa. Nobody.
Moreover, Mexican directors (Cuaron, Inarritu, GdT) and Asians (Lee, Lin, Wan) are doing damn fine for themselves awards-wise and/or commercially without whining about race and shit.
OMFG! I better call Zürich!
LOL if you really think that Hugh Glass could be played by anyone. Leo’s the reason why this un-commercial movie is a now a blockbsuter. Find black/Asian/other equivalent to Leo’s star power (read: opens tough sell movies) and we can talk. BTW, if JLaw wants Leo’s paycheck than I suggest she starts opening movies on her name alone like Leo. Otherwise no.
You are absolutely right. The most legitimate fault of Mad Max is how only one black women and i think Courtney Eaton is of Maori descent. I however do not think Hugh Glass could have been Black but most of the other actors are interchangeable. Emory Cohen could have been a POC in Brooklyn.. The entire cast of Room could have been POC.
heheheh I’m a crafty wee cunt. If I recall correctly, the bet was for £100million so…
Not dinner, just give them a copy of your movie for free. If they don’t watch it because it’s a “black film” or something to that effect, that’s their problem. But you can’t expect every industry person to go out of their way to see every film made. They have careers and lives to attend to as well.
Well, the Academy’s inability to consider films that don’t have multimillion dollar awards publicity campaigns behind them is much of the problem in the first place. They shouldn’t have to buy you dinner to get your vote.
That’s fine, but I’m just being realistic. Her performance in Creed was one that was highly visible because Creed actually ran an awards campaign and sent out screeners to AMPAS, etc. I don’t expect AMPAS voters to have seen and elected a performance from Dope en masse when not even the critics groups paid attention to the film. Creed, on the other hand…
I don’t disagree, but Universal was pushing him in Supporting:
http://www.universalpicturesawards.com/film/straight-outta-compton/
Great list! Although I personally felt Jason Mitchell was more of a lead role? Even though SOC was an ensemble piece.
Better in DOPE, imo.
If Brooklyn (a film which I like) had been exactly the same story but featured a young girl from Mexico, the Carribbean or Japan would the Academy have gone for it in the same way?
Oscar Isaac will catch a break one of these days. He’s in EVERYTHING, and he’s always so damn good.
Maybe Best Original Song can become the annual consolation prize Oscar. It was last year, even though it was well deserved.
But oh wait…Lady Gaga is nominated, so they’ll give it to her.
It wouldn’t have made historical sense for Glass to not be white. He was a white trapper. In the movie’s story, some of his fellow white men in his company think less of him because his wife and son were natives. Did you see the movie?
And for Spotlight, these are based on people who are all alive and well, so I think it’s pretty fair not to change the color of those people.
I agree with your overall point, just not some of your particular examples. A better example would have been The Martian. Watney didn’t have to be white.
Good list. How about Tessa Thompson in Creed too? At least as good as Rachel McAdams this year, and I say that as a pretty big fan of Spotlight.
Time to call out the directors we revere. They carry as much responsibility, or more, as anyone. No reason the Mad Max leads are white. Charlise and Tom don’t open films; it’s a high concept piece. Star Wars has a black lead and made $800M. Hugh Glass does not have to be played by a white actor. Does anybody give a shit about Hugh Glass verisimilitude? Everyone in The Big Short and Spotlight doesn’t have to be played by white actors. Or, if they do, make a different fim. Talking to you, too, Hooper and Haynes. There are plenty of black trans people and black lesbians with stories.
Enough with the director-worship here. It’s as much their fault, the big name directors, as it is the studios or anyone else. Do directors have to work with white film composers – are they seriously saying that blacks are no good at music? No black cinematographers, blacks can’t do cameras and light? Blacks can’t do make-up, don’t understand clothes?
Why do the directors get a pass?
Clearly!
I’ll fix it.
Abraham Attah – BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD??????
Is this racist? lol
I considered that, but I personally think he’s better in SECRET. I like the remake better than the original. There’s no amazing tracking shot, but there’s a sweet romance and a nice subversion of star power.
Havent seen 7. A case could be made for Ejiofor for Z for Zachariah.
Acase could also be made for Coogler as Director. Out of Coogler Jordan and Stallone .. Stallone was the worst in his required role, which was still amazing and he got nominated
I’d be curious to know how many of the 18 films I listed above people on this site have actually seen…
The idea that there are no performances of note by people of color seems to be brought up time and again… NPR basically made this argument today. While to a degree this is a function of the industry, it is moreso a problem with the Academy not looking beyond the screener pile… or prioritizing films with white performances. Films with people of color are hard enough to get made… it’s harder still to get them expensive awards campaigns. Still…
For Your Belated Consideration:
Best Actor
Will Smith – CONCUSSION
Michael B. Jordan – CREED
Samuel L. Jackson – THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Chiwetel Ejiofor – SECRET IN THEIR EYES
Abraham Attah – BEASTS OF NO NATION
Best Actress
Teyonah Parris – CHI-RAQ
Karidja Touré – GIRLHOOD
Rinko Kikuchi – KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER
Viola Davis – LILA & EVE
Kitana “Kiki” Rodriguez – TANGERINE
Best Supporting Actress
Regina Hall – PEOPLE PLACES THINGS
Jacqueline Kim – ADVANTAGEOUS
Kiersey Clemons – DOPE
Mya Taylor – TANGERINE
Gail Bean – UNEXPECTED
Best Supporting Actor
Idris Elba – BEASTS OF NO NATION
Oscar Isaac – EX MACHINA
Benicio Del Toro – SICARIO
Jason Mitchell – STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Ben Vereen – TIME OUT OF MIND
To my eyes, this is frankly a better lineup of actors than what the Academy came up with this year and it doesn’t at all fall into the NAACP Image trap of just nominating the same actors over and over… Some of these performances (e.g. Gail Bean or Karidja Touré or Ben Vereen) received absolutely no buzz this year, but 100% deserved to be in the conversation.
Hi Paddy! You school me every time! I challenged you to a bet a month ago. We were discussing the Anim. Feature category and I said it was locked because the same titles were coming back everywhere, you said I was wrong because the Academy always chooses two titles out of left field…
Turns out you were absolutely right: The Boy and the World and When Marnie was There replaced The Good Dinosaur and The Peanuts Movie. I guess there is a fair number of foreign voters or foreign-minded voters in the Animation branch.
So now I feel like I should transfer you a couple pounds to buy you a beer or something (a bear??). So if you have a paypal account or an address where I could send your reward, pls let me know!
Buh bye!
#OscarsSoOffWhite
‘It’s all very nice’
Kind of you.
6 nominees? Drop 16 of them and I’m on board. But I could easily find room to nix Bryan Cranston and Eddie Redmayne for Abraham Attah and Michael B. Jordan, then Christian Bale, Mark Ruffalo and Sylvester Stallone for Benicio del Toro, Idris Elba and Oscar Isaac, and Rachel McAdams for Mya Taylor.
I understand all of the rage about no blacks being nominated for acting Oscars this year; however, Weeknd, a Canadian person of color, has been nominated for writing the song Earned It from Fifty Shades of Grey. Hope springs eternal…
It’s all very nice, but if we were to take 2 to 3 spots for black actors (representing their proportion in the us population) and 3 to 4 spots for latinos, plus maybe 1 spot for Asians, that would mean dropping at least 6 current nominees, who do you drop?
Loves it.
The Lawrence and Redmayne “predictions” were meant as a joke. When she says “the Academy loves it when cis dudes play trans women” it was meant as shade.
I loved her shade on shade. Poc are not pleased with the Academy, and the media reaction has been great. We’ve never gotten anywhere by remaining silent and waiting for problems to go away on their own.
The predictions of Lawrence and Redmayne may not be wrong. Some posters here thought they wouldn’t even be nominated at all. Clearly they have forgotten that more than half of an Oscar winning formula is a good campaign/likability.
This is amazing but her predictions are way off. JLaw and Redmayne? C’mon!
As someone said in the last thread, it definitely feels like an problem with the Academy’s Actor’s branch, Sasha.
Acting noms are highest visibility… they are the faces of color that we actually see on screen. Yet the Academy ignores performances by people of color time and again. Despite this, SAG routinely nominates people of color who get snubbed by Oscar (e.g. Idris Elba, the BEASTS and STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON casts this year…) and BAFTA has a much better track record (e.g. Dev Patel and Freida Pinto for SLUMDOG, a trio of nominations for Ziyi Zhang that Oscar failed to duplicate).
I think it might be worthwhile to research and write an article about that branch specifically, because it’s really where much of the animosity stems from.