Oscar Nominations Controversy: Director Spike Lee Says Black Films Are Only Recognized Every 10 Years
Critically acclaimed director Spike Lee recently spoke with The Daily Beast about his opinion on "Selma's" Oscar snub in the Best Director and Best Actor categories.
Lee said he was upset the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic was not nominated for many big-name Oscar categories, though he was not surprised.
When asked what he would say to "Selma" director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo about their lack of Oscar recognition, Lee said he could relate given his 1990 Oscar omission for "Do the Right Thing."
"Join the club," he said.
"If I saw Ava today I'd say, 'You know what? F*ck 'em. You made a very good film, so feel good about that and start working on the next one."
Lee then said he believes black films being recognized by the Academy Awards is something that only happens once every 10 years.
"Anyone who thinks this year was gonna be like last year is retarded," Lee said, referring to "12 Years a Slave" winning an Oscar in 2014. "There were a lot of black folks up there with '12 Years a Slave,' Steve [McQueen], Lupita [Nyong'o], Pharrell. It's in cycles of every 10 years.
"Once every 10 years or so I get calls from journalists about how people are finally accepting black films. Before last year, it was the year [in 2002] with Halle Berry, Denzel [Washington] and Sidney Poitier. It's a 10-year cycle. So I don't start doing backflips when it happens."
Lee's commentary follows the immense social media backlash the Academy Awards garnered on Thursday for not nominating "Selma" for Best Director and Best Actor, the Huffington Post reports.
Social media users created the trending hashtag #OscarsSoWhite to shed light on the Academy Awards's favoritism over white actors and white-produced films.
Check out some of the #OscarsSoWhite tweets below.
#OscarsSoWhite They didn't see Selma but their housekeeper said it was really good.
— Fed-Up AMPAS Member. (@thewayoftheid) January 15, 2015
The game is rigged. We know this. And in 2015, it needs to called out. #OscarsSoWhite — Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) January 15, 2015
#OscarsSoWhite they haven't shifted their selection process in 87 years #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/oMB1mVXUZ0
— Glen Coco (@MrPooni) January 15, 2015
#OscarsSoWhite they don't see race. Or movies with black folks in it, apparently. — Fed Up Nephew (@Awkward_Duck) January 15, 2015
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