(ABC)
The 2016 Academy Awards has been mired in controversy since the nominations were announced last week and not a single black actor was nominated in any of the four major acting categories. Since then, many more stars have weighed in on the topic. See celebrity reactions below.
As Gossip Cop reported, shorty after the nominations, a slew of stars, including Ricky Gervais, Piers Morgan, John Stamos and Octavia Spencer reacted to black actors being snubbed at this year’s Oscars. Since then, Jada Pinkett Smith, Spike Lee, and Snoop Dogg have said they are openly boycotting the awards show. Meanwhile, there are other celebrities who have expressed disappointment with the lack of diversity among nominees, but are not joining the boycott, such as George Clooney and Whoopi Goldberg.
Now even more stars on social media are weighing in. Although he’ll undoubtedly have plenty more to say when he takes the stage on February 28, Academy Awards host Chris Rock tweeted, “The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.” As for Idris Elba not getting a Best Actor nod, Alec Baldwin expressed, “After the Oscars they should have the ‘We F***ed Up’ Awards. And they should give @BeastsOfNation the recognition it deserves.”
Michael Moore is joining the boycott, noting, “I stand with Jada and Spike.” But rapper Young Jeezy took the opposite stance, writing, “Why we worried about the Oscars? We need to be worried about what’s going on in Flint and Chicago. Mlk didn’t die for shows and trophies.”
Of course, many comedians have taken the opportunity poke fun at the situation. Arsenio Hall tweeted, “I can’t wait to watch Chris Rock’s opening monologue, and then, turning OFF The EXCLUSION Awards, I mean The OSCARS!” Meanwhile, “Billy on the Street” host Billy Eichner quipped, “I don’t think an openly gay man has ever won an acting Oscar but I don’t think I can say the Oscars aren’t gay enough. #OscarsVeryGay.”
Seth MacFarlane rewrote the lyrics of a Barry Manilow song to mock the topic, tweeting, “Lovin’ so warm, Oscars so white, Closin’ our eyes and feelin’ the light…” Jeff Ross expressed, “I’m excited to see the best comic @ChrisRock host the Oscars again. He always makes the hard truths funny.”
Specifically calling out Pinkett Smith, comic Doug Benson said, “But if her husband had been the only person of color to get a nom, she would’ve been front row center at the Oscars.” D.L. Hughley joked, “When your wife wants to boycott oscars cuz of racism, after you do an interview where u say racism was rare! #Awkward.” And Judah Friedlander tweeted, “For the record: I’ve been boycotting the Oscars for years.”
Gossip Cop will update as more stars react to the controversy surrounding no black actors being nominated at the Oscars.
