For many years, actors and activists alike have been infuriated by the lack of diversity in the Academy Awards. The 2020 Oscars were no exception.
One major source of anger was the fact that only one black actress received a nomination this year (Deadline). This was Cynthia Erivo, for best actress in Harriet. Harriet had an audience rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the source of the controversy isn’t the quality of the movie, but the role the actress played. The movie portrays the life of Harriet Tubman, an amazing, celebrated abolitionist who spent most of her life (and much of the movie) as a slave. Of course, the idea that only a black actress can play the role of a slave well enough to deserve an Oscar has been disproved over many years. However, some argue that the fact that the only award given to a black actress was for a slave movie implies as much.
Another major source of controversy is the reaction of President Donald Trump to Parasite’s winning of Best Picture. Trump expressed his outrage at a rally in Colorado, raging about how the movie wasn’t even in English. “By the way, how bad were the Academy Awards this year, do you see? And the winner is a movie from South Korea,” Trump said (Deadline).
Trump even mentioned how this was especially annoying, considering the ongoing trade conflict with South Korea, going as far as to question the quality of the film. “We got enough problems with South Korea, on trade, and on top of it, they give it the best movie of the year. Was it good?” He later added, “Let’s get Gone with the Wind…Can we get Gone with the Wind back, please?” Here, he is referencing the movie that won the award in 1940. Trump has been known to speak unprofessionally on foreign policy, world leaders, and even about other countries. This, however, was still shocking to many.
Many celebrities, including those who spoke at the Oscars, particularly comedians Steve Martin and Chris Rock, found the lack of diversity upsetting. “Think how much the Oscars have changed in the past 92 years,” Martin pondered. “Back in 1929, there were no black acting nominees!” Rock added, “And now in 2020, we got one!”
Written by Abby Nega of Herbert Hoover Middle School
Image courtesy of Creative Commons