Last year, the Oscars received a significant amount of backlash after an alleged 'lack of diversity' among its nominees. For one, everyone agreed that breakout star David Oyelowo did an exceptional job as Martin Luther King, Jr. in the film, "Selma" that even host Neil Patrick Harris couldn't resist addressing the controversy, joking: "Tonight we honour Hollywood's best and whitest - I mean brightest."

This year, it's an all too familiar scene for the Academy Awards. Once again, the panel is being accused of failing to recognize people of color. Dozes have spoken about African-American actors being overlooked each year. The hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite was also revived by critics and fans, even host Chris Rock is being pressured to step down. All the 20 acting nominees this year are white and it's too condemning of a truth for people to pass up on.

Finally addressing the issue, Academy Awards President - who happens to be African-American - Cheryl Boone Isaacs released an official statement.

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"I'd like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year's nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it's time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."

"As many of you know, we have implemented changes to diversify our membership in the last four years. But the change is not coming as fast as we would like. We need to do more, and better and more quickly," Isaacs added.

She then continued, "This isn't unprecedented for the Academy. In the '60s and '70s it was about recruiting younger members to stay vital and relevant. In 2016, the mandate is inclusion in all of its facets: gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We recognize the very real concerns of our community, and I so appreciate all of you who have reached out to me in our effort to move forward together."

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Online publications such as the A.V.Club has considered Isaacs' statement as an acknowledgement that the Oscars did "screw up." On the up side, she is assuring everyone that the necessary steps will be taken for this to never happen again.

Earlier in the day, Jada Pinkett Smith didn't hold back with her on opinion on the recurring controversy. In a video message she posted on Facebook, the actress said: "Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking, diminishes dignity and diminishes power," she said. "And we are a dignified people and we are powerful."

"Let's let the academy do them, with all grace and love. And let's do us differently," she added.

Director Spike Lee also gave his two cents, announcing that he will be boycotting this year's ceremony. His Facebook post read:

"For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different," he explained. "For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot."

Actor George Clooney has also expressed his unity with those protesting against the Academy, saying "we are moving in the wrong direction."

Rev. Al Sharpton - who met with former Sony head Amy Pascal following reports of leaked emails that some viewed as racist - on Friday bashed the Academy saying: "Hollywood is like the Rocky Mountains -- the higher up you get, the whiter it gets, and this year's Academy Awards will be yet another Rocky Mountain Oscar," said Sharpton.

Some of this year's Oscar snubs that sparked the outrage include Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation, Benicio del Toro for Sicario, Michael B. Jordan for Creed, and the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton.

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Oscars 2016