With all the chatter surrounding the 2015 Oscar nominations and snubs, Hollywood A-listers have been forced to reevaluate the lack of diversity in the industry. Selma, the critically acclaimed account of Martin Luther King Jr.’s epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, was assumed to be a front-runner, however, the film only received two nods, including Best Picture.
As expected, the lack of diversity among contenders in all 24 categories reawakened past complaints that Hollywood is biased when it comes to celebrating its performers.
Provoked by recent debates regarding a history of colorism in Hollywood, actor Anthony Mackie shared his thoughts on why Selma didn’t receive more Oscar nods and the cause of its lackluster box-office receipts.
“People are just tired of being bombarded with race right now. So everybody is shying away from certain topics and certain movies. If you look at all the movies and actors that are nominated, they all gave d— good performances. Me specifically, if that’s something I want, I have to step my game up. I have to do better movies and I have to act better,” Mackie told The Grio.
The Captain America star continued on by saying that African-American actors are disadvantaged when it comes to receiving more Oscar-worthy roles because “Hollywood believes that there’s no market overseas for black actors.”
Although Mackie, whose latest film Black or White, hits theaters nationwide Jan. 30, may have made a valid point when he stated that our nation is tired of being “bombarded with race,” do you think that explains or excuses the lack of diversity in Hollywood?
