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Baftas 2020 Slammed After Only White Actors Receive Nominations
Film fans have been voicing their concerns on social media after it was revealed that all 20 of this year’s acting Bafta nominations have gone to white stars.
On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that stars including Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, Scarlett Johansson and Renée Zellweger had all been recognised for their acting work in the last year, with Margot Robbie even bagging two nominations in the same category.
However, many quickly pointed out that actors of colour have been completely snubbed at this year’s ceremony, despite many receiving critical acclaim for their performances, including Lupita Nyong’o for her dual role in the horror film Us and The Farewell star Awkwafina.
Many also pointed out the absence of Eddie Murphy, Cynthia Eviro and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom had been nominated for Golden Globes for their roles in Dolemite Is My Name, Harriet and Hustlers, respectively...
Congratulations to the all-white nominees! Why even feign surprise at this point... #EEBAFTAs https://t.co/UjYTTbJ47I pic.twitter.com/GlH4XUBfdO
— Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020
It is rly embarrassing for Britain that this is what BAFTA is putting to the world as our standard-bearers for acting tho. Doesn't reflect the diversity of the country at all. #EEBAFTAs
— Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020
Before anyone starts with 'maybe these people were just better' - I love Margot, but she barely spoke in OUATIH. Yet JLo can't get a nod for her career best, and Lupita can't get a nomination for Us? #EEBAFTAS
— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) January 7, 2020
Deeply disappointing to see there's not a single person of colour nominated in either the Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories for the #EEBAFTAs.
And no, I'm not counting Scarlett Johansson.— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020
Margot Robbie got TWO flippin' nominations for Best Supporting Actress, but not one POC gets a nod in four categories? R U MAD BRUV???
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020
Five different shades of blonde. #Diversity #BAFTASSoWhite https://t.co/sckCHdGwOV
— Jade O'Halloran (@_verdoux) January 7, 2020
Not a single person of color nominated despite plenty of contenders. No Lopez. No Nyong'o. No Erivo. No Shuzhen. No Awkwafina. No Parasite actors. No Murphy. #BAFTASsowhite
— Alejandro (@adounce) January 7, 2020
No nominations for Queen & Slim
No nominations for Harriet
No nominations for Blue Story
No nominations for Us
Appalling. #BAFTASSoWhite pic.twitter.com/zWIFcbgGA0— lizzo mcguire (@JemalPolson) January 7, 2020
BAFTA. SO. WHITE. Absurd, all white actors, in a year with:
*7 nom-worthy performances in PARASITE
*2+ in The Farewell
*LUPITA NYONG’O
*Octavia Spencer, 2 best turns of her career - MA and LUCE
*@QueenAndSlim
*@wavesmovie
*Woodard + Aldis Hodge, Clemency
*Cynthia Erivo
*and more— Tim Gerber (@Zuranthium) January 7, 2020
Y’all need to divert your attention from Oscar So White and take a look at the damn BAFTAs snubbing Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Lopez, and Awkwafina
— Mr. Mistoffelees (@kbaileyjava2) January 7, 2020
not a single poc nominated in the acting categories for the baftas... yea throw the baftas away
— rowan (@sapphicrogue) January 7, 2020
BAFTA hates diversity!
Jennifer Lopez
Awkwafina
Eddie Murphy
Cynthia Erivo
Lupita Nyong'O
Ana De Armas
Where are they?#BAFTA— 👑 Anne Hathaway👑 (@anniiehathaway) January 7, 2020
Shocked at BAFTA for giving 2 noms to Margot Robbie, (in one role where she barely has any dialogue) and not nominating JLo for her outstanding turn as Ramona in Hustlers... says a lot that they’d rather nominate the same white woman twice than give a nomination to a Latina woman https://t.co/vFI2tPq2F7
— Harriet King (@harrietnking) January 7, 2020
BAFTA when it comes to diversity pic.twitter.com/iGQCnkT28b
— ari. (@nottfunnyy) January 7, 2020
All of the BAFTA acting nominees are white and 20% is either Scarlett Johansson or Margot Robbie, well done everyone
— Simon Wright (@simonwrite) January 7, 2020
Many have also lamented the fact that, much like the recent Golden Globes, no women have been nominated in the Best Director category, despite critically-acclaimed efforts from filmmakers Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig and Lorene Scafaria, among many others…
Where is this commitment to diversity in awards @BAFTA that you’ve set yourself when you do not nominate any woman for director OR any POC for any acting nominations??? #baftasomale #baftasowhite https://t.co/ZIBdjS0Kbj
— Kelly Holmes (@vintagetakk) January 7, 2020
Completely white nominations across all acting categories and an entirely male selection for best director! Congrats BAFTAs really solid move there!
— Daniel Bravo (@DanielCBravo) January 7, 2020
wow so where are the females in the best director nominations for the @BAFTA #baftas ????
— hamidha🌻 (@ednamariemode) January 7, 2020
It's depressing @BAFTA voters can't see excluding female directors & BAME acting talent undermines the legitimacy of the awards themselves. While great films have been recognised & that should be celebrated, the gold mask is clearly tarnished by gender/racial bias in action.
— David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020
I love @BAFTA but it's disgraceful there are no female Best Director nominees once again. In a year that saw Olivia Wilde, Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig & more connect with audiences, its even more baffling & wrong. They must address this urgently, it overshadows all their good work
— David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020
All-Male Best Director line-up, all white acting nominees, and a near-slobbering devotion to Hollywood over our own industry and its creatives. Seriously, at this point in time, the Baftas are becoming pathetically irrelevant.
— Kayleigh Donaldson (@Ceilidhann) January 7, 2020
Hey @BAFTA, I fixed it for you...
🎥 Booksmart - Olivia Wilde
🎥 The Farewell - Lulu Wang
🎥 Hustlers - Lorene Scafaria
🎥 Little Women - Greta Gerwig
🎥 The Souvenir - Joanna Hogg#EEBAFTAs https://t.co/OshaRlzqu9— Louis Whyte-Smith (@lswhytsmth) January 7, 2020
Earlier in the week, Bafta announced the contenders for the Rising Star award which included a much more diverse list of people, including Micheal Ward – of Top Boy and Blue Story fame – and the aforementioned Awkwafina.
Also competing for the Rising Star title are Jack Lowden, Awkwafina and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
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And finally, a reminder of the @EE Rising Star Award nominations:
💫 Awkwafina
💫 Kaitlyn Dever
💫 Kelvin Harrison Jr
💫 Jack Lowden
💫 Micheal Ward
Vote for your winner now! https://t.co/4hxN1BHe9L #EEBAFTAs #EERisingStar pic.twitter.com/zNXI303L3o— BAFTA (@BAFTA) January 7, 2020
Past winners of the title include Black Panther star Letitia Wright, Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya and Spider-Man’s Tom Holland.
This year’s Baftas will take place on Sunday 2 February and will air on BBC One.
MORE AWARDS SEASON...
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Golden Globes 2020 Winners List: British Stars Clean Up At This Year's Awards
Golden Globes 2020: 21 Big Moments You Might Have Missed During This Year's Awards Show
Jodie Comer
Jennifer Lopez
Olivia Colman
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Billy Porter
Renée Zellweger
Margot Robbie
Taylor Swift
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost
Kit Harington
Helen Mirren
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Jennifer Aniston
Andrew Scott
Reese Witherspoon
Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon
Adam Driver and Joanne Tucker
Cynthia Erivo
Brad Pitt
Awkwafina
Saoirse Ronan
Joaquin Phoenix
Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach
Gwyneth Paltrow
Cate Blanchett
Glenn Close
Beanie Feldstein
Taron Egerton and Emily Thomas
Natasha Lyonne
Ana De Armas
Laura Dern
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
Gillian Anderson
Kate McKinnon
Paul Rudd and Julie Yaeger
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
