(ThyBlackMan.com) The nominations for the 2014 Academy Awards were announced last week. To be honest, although I wasn’t surprised by the list, I was still disappointed in some aspects.
First off let me say, I am extremely happy for Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o and Steve McQueen. Their nominations were much deserved, of course.
Yet, I wasn’t happy about quite a few other names on the nomination list because, once again, Hollywood reminds us that recognition of Black films and Black talent isn’t on its priority list.
Why does Hollywood constantly place the same White actors and actresses on pedestals while ignoring the skills and accomplishments of their Black counterparts?
Why is it that in 2014, Steve McQueen will HOPEFULLY become the first African-American to win an Oscar for Best Director? March 2, 2014, will be the 86th Academy Awards ceremony, but truthfully, exactly how much progress has the Academy made in honoring diversity over the years?
Let’s look at history:
The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929. It took a decade for the first Black actor to win one (Hattie McDaniel, Best Supporting Actress, Gone with the Wind). This was quite an accomplishment seeing as how “coloreds” weren’t highly favored during this era.
In 86 years, just five Black actresses have won Oscars for Best Supporting Actress and only one (Halle Berry) has won the Best Actress award. Eighty-six years ya’ll.
Only eight Black actors have won Oscars (2 for Best actor).
As I researched the facts, (in my Carrie Bradshaw voice) I couldn’t help but wonder, Should the Black community demand more from the Oscars or should we be happy our people have received any recognition at all?
On one hand, you could argue that we deserve more. And you’d be 100 percent correct. I mean, just look at the discrepancy in who’s recognized in Hollywood.
Not to take away from her hard work, but Jennifer Lawrence has “risen in popularity” over the last few years and already she’s been nominated for three Oscars and won the coveted Best Actress award last year.
Meanwhile, Black actresses who have mastered the game for years like Angela Bassett, Viola Davis and Alfre Woodard have yet to receive an Oscar. Not even one. But Jennifer Lawrence can get nominated back-to-back?
Moving on to the men…
Bradley Cooper seems to be a favorite as of late, getting Oscar nominations in 2013 and 2014. Yet, Will Smith (the Will Smith ya’ll) has never received this recognition. His first nomination was in 2002 for Ali and his second was five years later for The Pursuit of Happyness. And
y’all know this man has starred in Oscar-worthy movies that were released consecutively. Plus, unlike Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio (others on this year’s list), Will Smith has never once received a Golden Globe Award.
This is just ridiculous. But one could also argue the other viewpoint that Black talent has come a long way in America, and we should be grateful to receive any recognition at all.
Although Black recognition is sometimes sprinkled across the sea of other White actors and actresses, at least we are getting recognized. Black nominations and wins aren’t very common, but other minority actors and actresses winning this top honor are much rarer. In fact, the first (and only as of date) Latino to win an Oscar for Best Actor was in 1950 and no Latina woman has won an Oscar for Best Actress.
But, truthfully, should we even be surprised by this? Oscar nods are selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And last year, The LA Times reported that 97 percent of the voting members are Caucasian while 77 percent are male. Blacks account for 2 percent of the members and Latinos make up less than 2 percent.
Well, that explains a lot. Like Congress, the Supreme Court and most governing bodies of power and influence in America, the members of Hollywood’s “elite” aren’t necessarily looking to represent us because very few of us are within the group.
When I first read the Oscar nominations list, my blood boiled thinking about how yet again very few Blacks are recognized and when we are it’s always for slave, oppressed types of roles. Though grateful to see people like Nyong’o (especially) receive much deserved recognition, I was definitely on the side saying our community should demand more from Hollywood.
But then I came across these two videos:
Lupita Nyong’o receiving the Critic’s Choice Award and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s sister’s emotional response to his Oscar nomination. Both are very touching, but even more important, both show you just what these recognitions mean for Black actors and actresses.
Nyong’o was overwhelmed to have won the award while Ejiofor’s sister (a CNN reporter) was moved to tears as she explained what this meant to her family. Her brother has been acting since age 13, she said, and her family was so grateful to see him finally receive this recognition.
Then it hit me: Maybe most Blacks are nominated for slavery, oppressed, mammy and house maids, sexually promiscuous or drug-dealing, crooked type characters. But these nominations mean everything to them….no matter the role.
Oscars are the highest award in film and undoubtedly every actor’s/actress’ dream. Even receiving nominations are huge accomplishments for them. So, perhaps it’s not so much about the type of role they’re playing, but the fact that the Academy was able to recognize their talent overall.
Although I do believe our community should demand more Oscar representation, I don’t think the recognition Black actors and actresses do receive should be discredited, even if it’s for the “typical black role” because these honors still mean a great deal to Black talent.
I’ve offered my non-expert opinion on film, but what about yours? Do Black actors and actresses deserve more Oscar nods than for typical roles or is any recognition a credit to our community? Where do you stand?
1st Black person to win Oscar, Year Oscars began: http://oscar.go.com/oscar-history/year/1929
List of Black Oscar winners: http://www.uticapubliclibrary.org/resources/literature-and-film-guides/african-american-oscar-winners-and-nominees-acting/
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/lml45ifkg/african-american-women-who-have-won-or-been-nominated-for-academy-awards/
2014 Oscar nominee list: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/16/showbiz/2014-oscar-nominations-list/
Chitwel’s sister’s reaction: http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/showbiz/2014/01/16/nr-asher-cries-over-brothers-oscar-nom.cnn.html
Lupita’s acceptance speech: http://www.eonline.com/news/500614/lupita-nyong-o-delivers-emotional-acceptance-speech-at-2014-critics-choice-movie-awards-watch
LA Times study: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/academy/la-et-unmasking-oscar-academy-project-html,0,7473284.htmlstory#axzz2qm9HHMoo
Staff Writer; Shala Marks
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/shala.marks
Service is her passion, writing is her platform, women and the Black Community are her avenues. Shala Marks is a writer, editor and soon-to-be author. Through her work, Marks aspires to demonstrate “The Craft of Writing, and the Art of Efficacy.” She has a B.A. in journalism from Arizona State University. Connect with her over at http://www.ShalaMarks.com.