Oscars 2011: Blacks need not apply! WTF

[YARDGORILLA]

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/...tors-of-color/

In 2002, the Oscars had a breakthrough: Denzel Washington won the award for best actor (a first for a black actor since Sidney Poitier in 1963) and Halle Berry became the first-ever African-American to win the best actress honor. At that same ceremony, Will Smith had been up for best actor for “Ali.”

This year, Oscar seems to be having something of a breakdown when it comes to honoring black actors. Ten movies were nominated for best picture, and not a single one stars an actor of color in a lead role (Japanese actor Ken Watanabe had a supporting role in “Inception,” but didn’t get a nomination). Twenty actors were nominated for acting honors, and not a single one is an actor of color.

Ironically, this year’s nominations were announced by Mo’Nique, who won a best supporting actress award for the 2009 movie “Precious.”

Did Hollywood pass over deserving actors or did the best choices simply win out? Whatever the case, the numbers are stark: the 2011 nominations are the first Oscars not to feature a black actor in a decade. Asian actors were also shut out. Spanish-born Javier Bardem was nominated for best actor.

The near-shutout of actors of color from this year’s awards season is already drawing comments from bloggers and filmmakers. “Will white be the only color on the red carpet at the 83rd Academy Awards?” asked a Hollywood Reporter story in advance of the nominations.

“The nominations were as much about who got left out as who got nominated for an award,” wrote Nsenga Burton on The Root, an African-American website.

Some critics blame the fact that Hollywood’s casting choices aren’t diverse enough; others say that because Hollywood is making fewer serious films, it’s hard for any actors, regardless of their race, to find rich parts.

The Root story noted that a number of non-black potential nominees got passed over, including Mila Kunis for “Black Swan” and “Inception’s” Leonardo DiCaprio (who may be one of the best actors in the business without an Oscar).

There were a number of movies featuring actors of color that might have gotten Oscar consideration.

Berry was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in “Frankie and Alice” but came up short at the Oscars. The drama “Night Catches Us,” a low-budget feature directed by African American filmmaker Tanya Hamilton and starring Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington, drew positive reviews from some critics (and an 80 percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes) but no Oscar consideration. Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls” got mixed reviews, but many critics praised the performances of stars of the movie, including Washington, Janet Jackson and Phylicia Rashad.

Still, even the NAACP Image Awards seemed to have trouble finding critically-praised candidates for its coming prize ceremony. Its list of outstanding motion picture candidates includes the romantic comedy ”Just Wright” (a 46 rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes) and ”Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?” (27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes)

In addition, “Night Catches Us,” ”Mother and Child,” which co-stars Samuel L. Jackson, and Berry’s ”Frankie and Alice,” were nominated for outstanding independent motion picture at the coming NAACP Image Awards.

An essay titled “Don’t blame Oscars for lack of black nominees” on the Grio, an African-American website, suggests that economics, not bigotry, are to blame for the lack of black nominees at this year’s Oscars.

“Movies are a function of stark economics and financial viability,” writes Javier E. David. “Ultimately, what gets green-lighted is a reflection of the public’s willingness to pay.”
__________________________________________________ _______________________


INB4OP works in Hollywood

INB4 Affirmative Action for 2012 Oscars

[guest89]

[UpComming916]

Got my race card at 16 along with my drivers license. It's been a very valuable tool in life and has allowed me to prosper.





not srs

[awahl63]

Lol

[amtharin]

Well then maybe they should step their game up for 2012.

C'mon Will Smith, c'mon Denzel, dont let 'em do you like that.

[6packsummer]

thats cause will smith didnt make a movie in 2010.

[Fuegoman]

"others say that because Hollywood is making fewer serious films, it’s hard for any actors, regardless of their race, to find rich parts."

I think this is the main problem...

[MiKey4]

This is weak journalism, BRB noting a trend and hyping it beyond proportion for views of my website.

[belairdfence99]

Imagine how much outrage there would be if only black movies got nominated and white folk tried to make a similar article? We'd immediately be labeled "angry white racists".

[vabyss]

Wat

Perhaps the white actors were simply better?

Accusing Hollywood of being bigoted is retarded. As a liberal I am offended. This is exactly the kind of rubbish that casts doubt on true racism.

[amtharin]

All joking aside, I just dont understand the mind set of people who look over that list and think "There are no black people!!"

I am white and understand that I may have a different perspective, but still, color never even crossed my mind when I first looked at the list.

[leafs43]

Name 1 role played by a black person in 2010 that deserves a nomination?


brb, having to nominate will smith's kid for karate kid so there is a black person on the ticket.

[Fuegoman]

I don't understand which movies listed for best picture could have casted black actors/actresses in the lead roles. Black/White/Hispanic/Asian/etc Hollywood actors have every opportunity to go out and conceptualize/develop their own pictures like Mark Wahlberg did with 'The Fighter'. There weren't really any roles by black actors in 2010 that came anywhere close to deserving nominations.

Black Swan- written specifically for Natalie Portman
The Kings Speech- Written about English royalty
127 Hours- based on true story about white dude
Inception- Leo= big box office gains
Toy Story- Animated
The Fighter- About a white fighter, and its Mark Wahlbergs picture he worked on for 4+ years
The Social Network- Mark ********= white
True Grit- Western movie, based on a novel
...haven't seen the other two movies

The fact is, there aren't that many serious movies with great roles being produced lately. Hollywood can produce Scary Movie 12 and make 100 million at the box offices, or produce 127 Hours and make 15 million. It goes back to demand, and Americans in general demand pretty crappy movies. /rant

[nutsy54]

Maybe someday we'll progress to the point where people aren't cataloged and categorized solely by their skin color

[VAPlowhorse]

The only respectable role I recall seeing a black actor playing in 2010 was Denzel Washington in Unstoppable. He was great in the role, but it was not an outstanding performance or movie. Can't say there were any outstanding films that come to mind in general.


Holy ****, its a dog!

[Ravishing_Rick]

it wasnt alot of movies with black people




but i didnt like when denzil was snubbed for Malcolm X years ago
and when eddie murphy lost to some old guy that was in a for 5mins

[brighamw]

Maybe someday we'll progress to the point where people aren't cataloged and categorized solely by their skin color

[leafs43]

The only respectable role I recall seeing a black actor playing in 2010 was Denzel Washington in Unstoppable. He was great in the role, but it was not an outstanding performance or movie. Can't say there were any outstanding films that come to mind in general.

Denzel in Book of Eli was better.


But certainly not oscar worthy.


James Franco is gonna win it anyways. His performance in 127 hours was probably the best I have seen in a while.

[ABJ]

The only respectable role I recall seeing a black actor playing in 2010 was Denzel Washington in Unstoppable. He was great in the role, but it was not an outstanding performance or movie. Can't say there were any outstanding films that come to mind in general.


Holy ****, its a dog!

Denzel is awesome in everything he does, just like Samuel L Jackson. But I dont think his movies last year were oscar material....... then again neither were many listed....... just a bad year for movies imo.

[Engineer_Mike]

Not one black person? I'm glad you're all having fun making jokes about this. The fact is, there was definitely SOME racism involved in this.

[guest89]

Not one black person? I'm glad you're all having fun making jokes about this. The fact is, there was definitely SOME racism involved in this.

Hollywood is extremely PC brah... I highly doubt if there was any "Racism" involved in the decision.


Can you name a single black actor and movie which deserves a nomination?

[Dan916]

Im personally pissed off Will Smith's child didnt win for Karate Kid. Damn conservative Hollywood bias.

[alegend90]

Name 1 role played by a black person in 2010 that deserves a nomination?


brb, having to nominate will smith's kid for karate kid so there is a black person on the ticket.

meanwhile, brb nominating his daughter for a grammy so there is a black person on the ticket.

[BigBadWhiteMan]

oh please. the academy is populated by jewishs and liberal white people who get tingly feelings when a black wins an award. there just wasnt anyone worthy this year, get over it.

[Blindead]

What good movie starred a black person in 2010?

[BigBadWhiteMan]

Not one black person? I'm glad you're all having fun making jokes about this. The fact is, there was definitely SOME racism involved in this.

I guess Jews, like you, hate blacks then.

[Emmortal]

What good movie starred a black person in 2010?

This. The article mentions Watanabe's performance in Incpetion, but it was hardly Oscar worthy.

Just more self hating whites who look for any reason to make other white people feel like they are racists.

[amtharin]

Black Swan- written specifically for Natalie Portman

Maybe these people should rethink their argument.

[BigBadWhiteMan]

This. The article mentions Watanabe's performance in Incpetion, but it was hardly Oscar worthy.

Just more self hating whites who look for any reason to make other white people feel like they are racists.

IIT Japanese are black

[Emmortal]

IIT Japanese are black

You obviously didn't read the article, it wasn't just about blacks, but anyone of "color" in general. The thread title singled out blacks for whatever reason the OP decided.