John Legend is a smart man!
The singer had a very wise take on #OscarsSoWhite this weekend, when reporters caught up with him at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
Related: Reese Witherspoon Weighs In On #OscarsSoWhite
Legend mentioned how, even though diversity in acting nominations at the Oscars was critically important, there was actually one area that was far more important in terms of being inclusive and equal: the Academy’s governing ranks.
Legend said about diversity in the Academy’s membership:
“I don’t really have a stand on the boycott right now. I do believe that the Academy made a good move yesterday in trying to diversify the ranks in the Academy. I just became a member of the Academy this year. This is my first year voting and I think it’s important for the Academy to come closer to reflecting what the real population looks like.”
YES!!!
Related: Danny DeVito Discusses #OscarsSoWhite!
Speaking to E! News, Legend continued:
“I don’t think it’s the Academy’s responsibility solely because so much of the Academy is fed by who’s working in the industry and if people aren’t getting jobs in the industry, they can’t be in the Academy because they aren’t working. It runs through Hollywood and it’s a bigger problem than the Oscars themselves and a bigger issue than just the Academy’s membership.”
Well said, John.
Now, again, hopefully we will see sustained change out of this!!
[Image via Nicky Nelson/WENN.]
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