This actually makes a lot of sense.
It’s pretty much impossible to have avoided hearing about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, so we’re not surprised that an issue about race in movies was a hot topic even at a TV show premiere.
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story had its El Lay premiere Wednesday night, and Oscar-winner/O.J. Simpson himself Cuba Gooding, Jr. was not shy about his opinions on the Academy’s nominations process.
Related: Kris Jenner Talks O.J. Simpson & Nicole Brown Simpson
While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the Jerry Maguire star defended the Oscars due to the fact that awards shows actually have the least amount of power when it comes to equality, saying:
“I refer to what Alejandro Gonz├â┬ílez I├â┬▒├â┬írritu said, the awards shows are the end of the chain. It has to start higher up. It has to start in the casting process. You look at television right now, television is killing it, a rainbow coalition in so many different shows.
I was an Academy member since 1993 and I won an Oscar in 1997, so from those four years I cherish my membership. Our president made a decision and I leave our decisions up to our board of trustees to make those decisions. I have to stand by them.”
Cuba is one of only ten black actors to have won an Oscar in an acting category in the past 20 years, so his stance on the matter might be slightly biased, but he makes a strong point.
Though it’s still a little surprising the amount of snubs of great performances by minority actors this year…
Related: Forget Snubbed, The Cast Of Straight Outta Compton Wasn’t Even INVITED To The Oscars!
As far as we’re concerned, both Hollywood AND the Oscars need to work on their diversity.
Hopefully Jada Pinkett Smith‘s boycott lets casting directors and producers know that they need to make some changes too!
Make sure to catch The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Courtney B. Vance, David Schwimmer, John Travolta, Sarah Paulson, Connie Britton, and Selma Blair when it premieres Tuesday, February 2 at 10 p.m. EST on FX!
[Image via FayesVision/WENN.]
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