The Oscars are known for highlighting the very best of cinema, but with the release of the nominations came some familiar controversy. Academy Awards nominations were released January 22 with no people of color in the four major categories (Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, and Actress in a Leading Role) for the second year in a row. As soon as the nominations were released, people took to Twitter to express their disapproval with #oscarssowhite. Sophomore Josiah Schainblatt says, “I think part of the problem is the lack of diversity of actors in the movies themselves, and fixing that would be the first step towards more diverse Oscar nominations.” Oscar nomination choices have a history of being opposed by the people because of their lack of diversity. The controversy also calls who is voting into question.  In 2012, the LA Times conducted a study of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters. At the time there were over 5,000 active voting members; 94% were caucasian, and 77% were male.

  People are also calling for host Chris Rock, who signed on to host before nominations were released, to boycott the event. Rock’s past writers are doubtful Chris will quit and think it is more likely for him to use it as an opportunity to speak out about the diversity issues within the Academy. Past writer Robin Thede even suggested if he was on Rock’s writing team he would bring out actors of color who should have been nominated on stage. Chris Rock has a history of involving race in his comedy, such as in his 1999 comedy special Bigger and Blacker. The last time Rock hosted the Academy Awards it was 2004, and there were four black nominees.

 Some Native American groups are against the boycott because of The Revenant’s nominations, including best picture and Leonardo DiCaprio for actor in a lead role, because of its use of Native American actors and accurate Native American traditions. They hope he will use the win to bring attention to the lack of Native American actors and cultural representation as he did at the Golden Globes.

 Though multiple movies centered around a minority’s life are recognized, only white performers and writers were nominated, excluding movies like Straight Outta Compton and Creed’s black directors. The producer of Straight Outta Compton took to Facebook to share his reaction to the nominations, “ …It’s unfair to the performers of color who sacrificed so much, laid it all on the line AND DELIVERED with their projects this year. It’s also unfair to the white actors, writers, producers and directors who gave everything they had to create career defining content only to have it marred by the fact that a lack of diversity calls into question the legitimacy of The Academy’s choices.” Some actors have chosen not to attend the ceremony, such as Jada Pinkett and Spike Lee. They announced this on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Another star who has voiced concern was Halle Berry, who was the first black woman to be nominated and win best actress at the Oscars. No woman of color has won best actress since her iconic win in 2002 for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Sophomore Aurora Becker feels, “the lack of diversity has to do with how each race is being portrayed and how people interpret it.” The Oscars will be held on February 28 at 5:30pm, and the world will be waiting to see how the Oscars come into fruition.