At BAFTAS have a real #OscarsSoWhite year…
It was only three years ago Joaquin Phoenix sent a powerful speech after he won, using the platform – instead of celebrating – to chastise the British awards body for overt failure to recognize actors of color. Everyone was cheering then, but this year… obviously nothing has changed.
All 49 winners at last month’s BAFTA film awards were white. In a year with a juggernaut like Everything Everywhere Everything At Once which dominates the Oscar. And they followed the egregious night sharply refuse in diversity among the nominees for the TV Awards announced on Friday. In the past few years, around 40% of nominees have come from ethnic backgrounds other than white – this year that’s down to 24%. It may be unintentional, but it’s hard to ignore when it happens over and over again.
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The main category critics pointed to was Lead Actress, where all six nominees were white. Nominations are the same Sarah Lancashire for Julia, Vicky McClure for Without Sin, Maxine Peak for Anne, Billie Piper for I hate Suzie too, Imelda Staunton for Crownand Kate Winslet for I’m Ruth. All the great actresses are, of course, but they’ve been honored before — in fact, every woman on the list has at least been nominated. the second time previous.
deadline asked BAFTAs CEO Jane Milliship that he was disappointed in the result, and the answer was… less than good. He said:
“There is representation in that category when you look at the age of actresses and the roles that are written for them, it’s incredible. This is something that we’ve been discussing for a long time in the world of television and film: Are roles written for women over 40? This is is a surprising result.
Oof. indeed? “Women over the age of 40”?? He equating that to diversity? First of all, we love older women getting great roles and being celebrated, but over 40 not exactly the old one.
Second, WHAT IS THE EFF REALLY ABOUT?? No one has complained that BAFTA has aged, they have complained that they honor quite a specific racial profile. Not even the same thing!
BAFTA later weighed in on the claim, clarifying that Jane was referring to “representation” as a separate issue from diversity. But since then the answer he gave to lack of diversity, they should think at least part of the same conversation? He certainly seemed to want a pat on the back for that. And that’s a real problem. Oscar has to truly accept there is a problem before he can change it.
What do you think about the lack of diversity at BAFTA??
[Image via BAFTAs/YouTube.]