By now, it’s clear that Hollywood has a diversity problem. And while it may be enough for some to merely joke about it during the Oscars or simply sweep it under the rug, there are a few people standing up to acknowledge these issues — like Harvey Weinstein, who says that he’s felt the bias of the film industry…or at least his movies have. The Weinstein Company boss spoke about his struggles to get his films adequately recognized by the Academy at the First Time Fest at the Gansevoort Park Avenue Hotel.
“I did $130 million for [Lee Daniels’s] The Butler, $16 million for Fruitvale [Station], and $25 million on Mandela [Long Walk to Freedom]. Three movies, and I didn’t get an Oscars nomination for all three!” he said. “They said ‘Okay, well it’s 12 Years a Slave that’s going to be the movie that gets nominated.’ And I go, ‘Well, what happened? You can’t put three black actors in the Best Actor category? You can’t put two black screenwriters in? Oprah Winfrey, who killed it, or Forest Whitaker? Or David Oyelowo, who’s a great actor?'”
Granted, Weinstein may just be salty because his movies aren’t getting the recognition he thinks they deserve, as opposed to having any actual concern about the diversity problem he’s addressing, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a point. Why not have three black actors in the Best Actor category? Especially when those actors are putting out great performances. Or, for that matter, why aren’t there more films with actors of all ethnicities? People all over the world have stories to tell, and it’s high time we heard them.
[via Vulture]
