Since #OscarsSoWhite began trending, all of Hollywood has been very concerned with appearing concerned about diversity. But how much has the entertainment industry actually done?
The biggest real change has been the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rolling out its “sweeping series of substantive changes” last week. That was led by Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, an African-American woman.
So far, people of color have not only led the most calls to action, but also taken the most actual action. Of course, the movement is young — and more change may come.
Here’s a look at the actual changes that have occurred so far:
The Boycott
• Actress Jada Pinkett Smith announced Jan. 18 — Martin Luther King Day — that she would boycott the ceremony. Her husband Will Smith and director Michael Moore joined the boycott, with director Spike Lee also announcing that he would not attend.
More Oscars Diversity
• Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced Jan. 22 a plan aimed at increasing diversity in the Oscars voter pool. The two-pronged approach includes a promise to double the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.
• The Academy hopes that by improving diversity in its own ranks, it can avoid the sort of embarrassment that it has suffered since it announced an all-white lineup of acting Oscar nominees for the second year in a row earlier this month.
• Isaacs had promised sweeping changes days after nominees were announced. The same day she made that pledge, Academy board of governors member Phil Alden Robinson sent an email to other members and governors urging them to work to increase diversity in their respective branches.
That’s It. Those Are the Changes.
Of course, there are other calls for changes.
• This week, Golden Globe winner and “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez launched #MovementMonday, a social media campaign to promote Latinos talent by highlighting the work of one Latino actor each week, and encouraging audiences to support their films and TV shows.
• DGA and SAG-AFTRA officials this week called for structural changes to the industry to include more people of color in decision-making roles in the industry.
• “Furious 7” star Tyrese Gibson called Jan. 20 for Chris Rock to step down as host of the Oscars show, writing on Facebook, “If Andy Cohen of #WWHL was hosting the Oscars and they purposely left out all gays and or homosexuals from being nominated for an #Oscar HE would of stepped down already.”
• Rock has not stepped down, but he did tell producers that he is rewriting all of his jokes planned for the show in the wake of the Academy’s changes.