Jamie Foxx made quite the statement before the Oscars regarding the protest of stars like Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith over a lack of different races in nominees.
In fact, Jamie Foxx took a surprisingly oppposite stance when it came to racial tensions over the Oscars.
At the American Black Film Festival Awards in Beverly Hills, which were held a week before the controversial ceremony, Jamie Foxx said, “All these Oscar talks, I don’t even trip about that.”
He added, “I mean, what’s the big deal? I was sitting at home with my Oscar, like ‘What’s all the hubbub?”
Jamie Foxx won that Oscar fair and square with his astounding turn as Ray Charles in 2005’s Ray. I mean, he was really amazing, right?
Jamie Foxx went on to say, “My friend said, ‘Are you mad?’ ‘Um, kind of, but not really.’”
He added, “I started calling Denzel [Washington], and we just Instagrammed our Oscars together.”
He then, amid laughs called out, “#WhatsTheBigDeal?” and “#ActBetter.”
Ouch. That must have hurt the feelings of protesters like the Smiths and Spike Lee.
But, it must have really hurt the woman who created #oscarssowhite last year, April Reign. To her, the lack of nominees of color was a serious sign of trouble.
Back in January, after this year’s Oscar nominees were announced and for the second year in a row all nominees were white, she said, “It tells me that the industry isn’t interested in changing the status quo and that there is a mistaken assumption that only movies about straight white males will bring in moviegoers.”
What do you think about these last two controversial Oscars seasons? Do you side more with Jamie Foxx or April Reign and the Oscars protesters?
