Celebs On Oscars Boycott: Snoop Dogg, Mark Ruffalo, Viola Davis & More [VIDEOS]
What is regarded as Hollywood's biggest night is now being shrouded in scandal after the lack of diversity among this year's nominees. It's the same story last year, in which the Oscars were called out for not recognizing the talent of people of color.
Now, more and more celebrities are speaking up about the issue. One of the first to share their thoughts was Jada Pinkett Smith, who said: "Let's let the academy do them, with all grace and love. And let's do us differently." Director Spike Lee also didn't hold back on criticizing the Academy Awards, writing: "How is it possible for the second consecutive year all 20 contenders under the actor category are white?"
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Pressure continues to mount on host Chris Rock, who is being called by rapper 50 Cent and actor Tyreese Gibson to step down.
In light of the controversy, here are the other celebrities speaking out against the prestigious awards ceremony.
Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo agreed with Spike Lee when the director said the problem goes beyond the Oscars itself. "The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism," he said. "It goes into our justice system." Previous reports allegedly said that Ruffalo was going to boycott the awards, which the actor was quick to clear up: "To clear up any confusion. I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism."
Snoop Dogg
The rapper didn't hold back on the expletives when he gave his two cents in an Instagram video. "Somebody was actually like am I gonna watch the mother**king Oscars. F**k no," he said. "What the f**k am I going to watch that bulls**t for? They ain't got no n*****s nominated. All these great movies and all this great s**t ya'll keep stealing from us. F**k you!"
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Viola Davis
The How to Get Away with Murder weighed in on the issue, pointing out that the problem is not just the Oscars but also the system Hollywood is rooted in. "The problem is with the people who are in power, who have the yay or the nay vote. How many black films are being produced every year? How are they being distributed? The films that are being made, are the big-time producers out there thinking outside of the box in terms of how to cast the role. Can you cast a black woman in that role? Can you cast a black man in that role?" she said. "You can change the Academy, but if there are no black films being produced, what is there to vote for?"
Reese Witherspoon
Academy member and actress Reese Witherspoon took to Facebook to express her disappointment about the lack of diversity. "So disappointed that some of 2015's best films, filmmakers and performances were not recognized," Witherspoon posted. "Nothing can diminish the quality of their work, but these filmmakers deserve recognition. As an Academy member, I would love to see a more diverse voting membership."
Gina Rodriguez
The Jane the Virgin star spoke up about the issue, saying she would like to see more films with more diverse faces casted. "Fo r me personally, I'm kind of in the midst of trying to figure it out, knowing full well that there were definitely a lot of movies that could have been up for Oscar contention," the actress told ET. "But I think you also have to look at the diversity on the Academy's board. It's not as diverse as reflected in today's society. There should be more movies that are made with diverse faces."
Donald Trump
The presidential candidate called the issue, "a tough situation". "With all of that being said, it would certainly be nice if everybody could be represented properly. And hopefully that's the case, but perhaps it's not the case," he said in an interview on Fox & Friends.
Will Smith
In the wake of his wife's Facebook video, Will Smith announced that he will be boycotting this year's Oscars. He said in an interview on Good Morning America, "For me, at its best, Hollywood represents and then creates the imagery for that beauty. For my part, I think that I have to protect and fight for the ideals that make our country, and make our Hollywood community, great. So when I look at the series of nominations for the Academy, it's not reflecting that beauty...It feels like it's going in the wrong direction."
He continued, "Had I been nominated and no other people of color were, [Jada Pinkett Smith] would have made the video anyway. We would still be having this conversation. This is so deeply not about me. This is about the children that are going to sit down and watch this show and they aren't going to see themselves represented."
