The Oscars and Diversity: A Long Road to Representation

By Gabrielle W. ‘22

The 94th Academy Awards, more commonly known as the Oscars, were held Sunday, March 27, 2022. Once again, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is facing harsh criticism for its lack of diversity. In previous years, people have considered the Oscars to be a “white” event with most nominations featuring white filmmakers, ensembles, and actors. In 2016, the Oscars earned the trending hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, when only 1 of the 20 acting nominees was a person of color. 

According to an article published on IndieWire, viewership for the 2020 Oscars dropped to an all-time low, and viewership plummeted even lower for the 2021 Oscars. The Oscars are relying on the blockbuster films nominated for the award to increase viewership. However, with few nominations exemplifying the diverse landscape of Hollywood, the blockbuster nominations are not enough to draw the desired audience. The Academy has improved since then. In 2021, nearly half of the nominees were people of color. According to USA Today, “[The Oscars’] 2021 membership class is 46% women (up from 45% in 2020), and 39% of the class is from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities (up from 36% in 2020).” The Academy continues to strive for diversity by gradually transforming its membership class.

Last year’s Oscars set out to be the most impressive event, making significant strides in diversity. The nominees and winners featured a beautiful mixture of color, and satisfaction with the Oscars increased considerably from the relatively low levels of previous years. Representation was the main driver for the success of all involved, on the screen and behind it, in the 2021 Oscars nominations and wins. However, this year, the nominations for those on the screen are far less impressive than they were last year. Trailing behind the 9 monumental wins of 2021, only four nominees for 2022 are people of color: Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), Will Smith (King Richard), and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth). Additionally, out of 10 nominations for the Best Picture award, King Richard was the only film with a predominantly Black cast to be nominated. 

Hollywood is an ever-changing landscape, and the Academy is struggling to keep up with the times. Most categories that have a history of white men dominating the nominations and wins seem to be staying true to their history; these are the categories with the least diversity and most of the seasoned, white actors are considered the likely contenders. 

That’s not to say that the Oscars didn’t improve in some areas this year. Categories that have a better history with diversity are shining through like the Best Supporting Actress category with nominees Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”), Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”), Ruth Negga (“Passing”), and Rita Moreno (“West Side Story”), all of whom are women of color.  

The Academy has even reached new landscapes, highlighting communities that have been aiming for more representation in film. Best Supporting Actor nominee Troy Kotsur is making strides for the deaf community. Not only was he nominated for an Oscar, but his film “CODA”—a drama musical about 17-year-old Ruby who is the only hearing member of a deaf family from Gloucester, Massachusetts—earned 3 nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is also the first movie featuring a predominantly deaf cast to receive a nomination for Best Picture.