The lack of black Academy Award nominees has now captured the attention of Congress; Rep. Danny Davis has become the first lawmaker to throw his support behind those boycotting this year’s ceremony.
“I support the boycott,” Davis told The Hill, adding that Jada Pinkett Smith, Spike Lee, and Mark Ruffalo’s criticisms of the Academy Awards “are reflective of the African-American community.”
The D.C.-based news site said it attempted to gather comments from other black lawmakers, but to no avail.
“While some of his colleagues in Congress have been critical of the diversity gap among the nominees, Davis—who noted he’s not a big movie buff himself—is the only lawmaker so far to back a boycott,” The Hill reported.
Though Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) stated she is “extremely disappointed in the lack of diversity—year after year—in the Academy’s selections,” she added, “There are many urgent matters that I must deal with, and I question whether a boycott is the best course of action.”
The 88th Academy Awards will air February 28.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson.
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