SAG Foundation president expresses dismay over Oscars lack of diversity

Acclaimed actor and SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance is baffled by why this year’s Oscar nominations once again lacking in diversity.

Speaking to Variety last Sunday at the 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Vance said “I don’t know why because I know the projects are there.” Vance referred to the impressive amount of films that starred and were directed by people of color last year. This includes Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell,” Netflix’s “Dolemite Is My Name,” and “Hustlers”. Three of which are considered to have received the biggest snubs for this year’s Academy Awards.

“In the past, I know myself and people of color, because we knew we couldn’t be on the screen, we had to imagine ourselves on screen,” Vance explained. “We shouldn’t have to do that today.”

Vance, known for playing Johnnie Cochrane in the FX anthology “The People v. OJ”, was recently appointed as the president of Tinseltown’s acting guild. He recommends that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences members should cast their ballots as he noted the global box office success of “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians.”

“You can’t say that films of color don’t sell around the world,” Vance said.

“We need to demand that it happens by number one, voting,” he added. He also had advice for cinephiles and casual viewers alike saying, “and number two is making sure we go see the movies so that studios start to realize that money is with the color.”

The 92nd Academy Awards will be held on February 10 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Samantha Rigby
Samantha Rigby
Samantha is the head of content, lifestyle and entrepreneurial columnist for Best in Australia. She is also a contributor to Forbes and SH. Prior to joining the Best in Au, she was a reporter and business journalist for local newspapers.
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