Disappointed Viewers Accuse 2015 Oscar Nominations Of Whitewashing, Spread Hashtag '#OscarSoWhite,' Complain About 'Selma' Snub
Oscar nominees for 2015 are said to be overwhelmingly white. The hashtag "#OscarSoWhite" circulated after the nominees were announced. Many were particularly agitated that "Selma" was snubbed, earning only two nominations.
According to Yahoo News, when it comes to the 2015 Academy Award nominations, the ceremony seems to be the whitest "since 1998." Fans, who were disappointed that actors nominated seem to be Caucasian, aired their disappointment on social media.
Fans complained about the lack of racial diversity in the nomination list. They particularly complained about the non-inclusion of "Selma" in the acting and director's categories. The film scored two nominations, for the "Best Picture" and "Best Song" categories. Interestingly, the film, which revolves around Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic civil rights march to Montgomery, has received a 99 per cent rating from RottenTomatoes critics.
Time magazine reports that Ava DuVernay's "Selma" not being nominated is "part of a bigger problem." Time reports that David Oyelowo's exclusion for his performance as "Martin Luther King Jr." and Ava DuVernay being snubbed for her directorial work on "Selma" have made the nominations all white and all male. This has also proved that it is difficult for women and non-white artists to get recognition for their work. Time also said that it is unthinkable why "Selma" did not win nominations in the acting and directing categories when there was no such film last year.
The hashtag "OscarsSoWhite" spread like wildfire after the nominations were announced, according to Yahoo News. Many cannot fathom why there are no Black or Asian on the nomination list this year. Yahoo News reported that one Twitter user with the handle @ReignOfApril said that even though there would surely be a lot of "Je Suis Charlie" at the red carpet, there would not be #BlackLivesMatter. Twitter user @ReaganGomez claimed that the Oscars is rigged. Another user, @wjjlly2 claimed that Black actors only have a chance of being nominated or winning at the prestigious award show if they play the help or the slave.
This is not the first time that Hollywood has been accused of having a racist agenda. The leaked Sony emails last year highlighted that most executives still do not like Black movie stars and also President Barack Obama.