Jada Pinkett Smith, Spike Lee Decide Not to Attend the Oscars 2016

Award-winning actress Jada Pinkett-Smith and director Spike Lee announced their plan to boycott the 88th Academy Awards exactly on the National Day of Martin Luther King, Jr. This decision came after Pinkett-Smith called the attention of all the black actors to do the same.

Pinkett-Smith's statements were quoted by ET Online, "I will not be at the Academy Awards and I won't be watching," Smith said. Will Smith, her husband, was also snubbed by the Academy, although he was supposed to be in the competition for his role in "Concussion."

"The Academy has the right to acknowledge whomever they chose and invite whomever they choose," Pinkett-Smith added on. "Begging for acknowledgement or even asking for it diminishes dignity."

Meanwhile, in an Instagram post, Lee slapped the Academy for its lack of diversity. "How is it possible for the 2nd consecutive year all 20 contenders under the actor category are white?" he wrote. "And let's not even get into the other branches, forty white actors in two years and no flava at all. We can't act?! We cannot support it." the director questioned.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6"><div> <div> <div></div></div> <p> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BArm7C2Sqh_/" target="_blank">#OscarsSoWhite... Again. I Would Like To Thank President Cheryl Boone Isaacs And The Board Of Governors Of The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences For Awarding Me an Honorary Oscar This Past November. I Am Most Appreciative. However My Wife, Mrs. Tonya Lewis Lee And I Will Not Be Attending The Oscar Ceremony This Coming February. We Cannot Support It And Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy. But, How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White? And Let&#39;s Not Even Get Into The Other Branches. 40 White Actors In 2 Years And No Flava At All. We Can&#39;t Act?! WTF!! It&#39;s No Coincidence I&#39;m Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr&#39;s Birthday. Dr. King Said &#34;There Comes A Time When One Must Take A Position That Is Neither Safe, Nor Politic, Nor Popular But He Must Take It Because Conscience Tells Him It&#39;s Right&#34;. For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken. As I See It, The Academy Awards Is Not Where The &#34;Real&#34; Battle Is. It&#39;s In The Executive Office Of The Hollywood Studios And TV And Cable Networks. This Is Where The Gate Keepers Decide What Gets Made And What Gets Jettisoned To &#34;Turnaround&#34; Or Scrap Heap. This Is What&#39;s Important. The Gate Keepers. Those With &#34;The Green Light&#34; Vote. As The Great Actor Leslie Odom Jr. Sings And Dances In The Game Changing Broadway Musical HAMILTON, &#34;I WANNA BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS&#34;. People, The Truth Is We Ain&#39;t In Those Rooms And Until Minorities Are, The Oscar Nominees Will Remain Lilly White. (Cont&#39;d)</a></p> <p>A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on <time datetime="2016-01-18T13:03:42+00:00">Jan 18, 2016 at 5:03am PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> 

Lee noted that the "real" battle is not specifically with the Academy Awards, but with the lack of people of color in higher nominations. He also shared that until minorities are downcasted, the Oscar nominees will remain white, as reported by USA Today.

Smith and Lee join a chorus of celebrities criticizing award-giving bodies for their outward failure to acknowledge actors of color. Lee initially addressed the issue at the Governors Awards in November through his comments. "It's easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than to be the head of a studio," he said. "Honest or the head of a network."

On the other hand, Ice Cube, who stars in the action comedy "Ride Along 2" will celebrating a victory on Monday. His movie ousted "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" from the number one spot. He tweeted, "Who cares about SNUBS when you getting STUBS? #RideAlong2 is the no.1 movie in America!"

This only goes to show that whatever your skin color or race is, when you've got talent, no certain award or institution can tell you how little you are or what you're only capable of. In the industry of entertainment, systems and mindsets are still needing some changes, but it is the people's taste and support for the black actors' worth that are more important.

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