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People have been talking ever since the nominations for the 88th annual Academy Awards were announced, and not in a good way. There were zero non-white actors nominated this year, and it has sparked a conversation as to why. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite was trending on social media, and host Chris Rock even tweeted, “The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.”
Jada Pinkett Smith has made it clear she is not happy about the nominations, tweeting and even posting a video to social media calling others to “stand in power.” Some think Jada is upset just because her husband, Will Smith, didn’t receive a Best Actor nomination for his role in Concussion. Below are the tweets she sent out a few days ago.
For Jada, it’s clear this goes deeper than the fact Will didn’t get nominated. In a video she posted to her Facebook page she stated, “Today is Martin Luther King’s birthday, and I can’t help but ask the question: Is it time that people of color recognize how much power, influence, that we have amassed, that we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere.” “We can no longer beg for the love, acknowledgement, or respect of any group,” Jada continued.
Jada announced in the video that she would be boycotting the Oscars. She will not be attending, and she says she will not even watch them. She did express love and respect for Chris Rock saying, “I can’t think of a better man to do the job at hand this year than you, my friend.” You can watch Jada’s video below.
Filmmaker Spike Lee also announced yesterday via Instagram, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, that he too will be boycotting the Oscars. He posted a picture of MLK along with a lengthy caption as to why he would not be attending the awards. He quoted King in his reasoning stating, “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it’s right.” You can see his post below.
Do you agree with the boycott? The Oscars will air on February 28th. Will you be watching or boycotting? Let us know in the comments below. You can read more on the story here.
