President Obama is throwing his hat in the ring for the ongoing #OscarsSoWhite convo.
Speaking to a CNN affiliate yesterday, the commander-in-chief shared his thoughts on the lack of diversity at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
“As a whole, the industry should do what every other industry should does, which is to look for talent and provide opportunity to everybody,” President Obama said. “And I think the Oscar debate is really just an expression of this broader issue of: Are we making sure that everybody is getting a fair shot?”
Since Oscars nominations were announced earlier this month (and not a single actor of color was nominated), celebrities, activists and the like have been voicing their disdain for the Academy. Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said that she would be introducing new policies to increase diversity by 2020, but a lot of people agree: too little, too late.
Here’s What Eddie Murphy Said About Lack of Diversity At the Oscars Way Back in 1988
While making his comments yesterday, President Obama said that all walks of American society should boast diversity and reflect the country as a whole.
“I think that when everybody’s story is told, then that makes for better art,” he said. “It makes for better entertainment. It makes everybody feel part of one American family.”