As the President and First Lady enjoy the last remaining months of what can only be described as the most historic presidency on record – those who’ve been effortlessly supportive of the past eight years – will soon get the chance to explore the genesis of a partnership that captures the very definition of a match made in heaven.
Ava DuVernay (Selma) and Ryan Coogler (Creed) are undoubtedly part of the esteemed bunch of Hollywood directors that are making waves in an industry that has come under fire for not making allowances for people of color who have consistently proved their worth.
As Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders continue to find innovative ways to outshine each other in a bid to woo African-Americans and young women to their neck of the woods – it seems that most are taking notes and making their decisions accordingly.
For better or worse – #OscarsSoWhite has become the anthem for this year’s awards season due to the realization that just like the year before – the pool of nominees in the major categories are all white – except for a handful of talent.
As #OscarsSoWhite continues to put a damper on festivities leading up to the ceremony, today’s annual luncheon at The Beverly Hilton was disrupted by a group of protestors who held signs that depicted the illustration of a white Oscar statue with a black backdrop and the fueled #OscarsSoWhite hashtag sprawled across the top in red.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson has enjoyed an amazingly prolific career in Hollywood but as he recalls to Vanity Fair in an article titled: ‘Samuel L. Jackson on Being Black in Hollywood’, his ascent to the top wasn’t an easy ride.
Most who move to La La Land have ingrained tales of the chaos that had to be endured in order to gratify themselves with the validity that comes with being on the list of desired talent that filters through the offices of studio heads and prominent casting directors.
Oscars 2016 will go down in history as the year when the Academy bowed down to the force and embraced the unthinkable. Diversity.
In what has been deemed as “historic”, Cheryl Boone, The Academy’s president, who also happens to be black – announced that after a unanimous vote, the Board of Governors acknowledged that drastic changes had to be instituted in order to ensure the entry of more women and minorities, in order to guarantee that what is happening now – never happens again.
Martin Luther King Day began and ended with tweets, postings and mentions of the late civil rights activist who was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN.
Amidst the reverent spiritual vibe was residue from the still ongoing #OscarSoWhite crusade that has been on fire ever since the nominations were announced last Thursday.
Despite the opportunity to recognize the performances from talent of color in credible films, the list of nominees was once again Caucasians.
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Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington started the award circuit early when he helped present an honorary Oscar to celebrated filmmaker Spike Lee at the seventh annual Governor’s Awards this past Saturday.
