Along with the cold comes award season and, apparently,
disappointment. After recent Oscar nominations were announced people are less
than happy. For the second year in a row not one African American male or
female has been nominated for an award. Lupita Nyong’o, known for her
incredible role in “12 Years a Slave”, was the last African American woman to
win an Oscar. In 2014, she won Best Supporting Actress. The article is based on
Nyong’o’s response to this whole fiasco. She uses a word that, in my opinion,
is more than appropriate: “disappointment.” Her award, back in 2014, was a huge
deal for African American’s and women everywhere. She was recognized for a role
that was so real, raw, and heart retching that most people (men or women) couldn’t
even dream of playing. Disappointment was felt across the board; actors,
actresses, fans, and viewers felt it. The book talks a lot about how
entertainment is still male focused. Most things do not pass the Bechdel test.
It says that these movies and TV shows “communicate strong messages about what
is culturally valuable and what (and who) is interesting” (35). Is this the
message that African American’s are feelings as well? Is The Academy saying
that even though Will Smith, one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, was
in one of the top selling movies in 2015 that he is not culturally valuable or
even interesting? Better yet, are they saying that about Lupita Nyong’o or any
other African Americans who have won Oscars in the past?
Article Link: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/disappointed-lupita-nyong-o-speaks-out-about-oscar-diversity-n500476
I think you bring up an interesting point about media emphasizing and influencing what society finds valuable. In a society which prides themselves on the strides it has made for equality, it leaves much to be desired in the way of representation in the media.
ReplyDelete