What #Westridge Thinks About #OscarsSoWhite

“It’s frustrating to see that we aren’t getting better.” -Sylvie S. ’24

All+of+2020s+Oscars+nominees.+

The Oscars

All of 2020’s Oscars nominees.

The 2020 Oscars are again facing scrutiny for their lack of diversity. Even four years after #OscarsSoWhite went trending on Twitter, the 2020 Oscars remained remarkably resistant to the criticism. This year’s Golden Globes awarded several people of color, such as Awkwafina, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Lopez, Han Jin Won, and Lupita Nyong’o. Only one actor of color was nominated in the major acting categories: Cynthia Erivo for her performance in Harriet as Harriet Tubman. 

Many believe that actresses Awkwafina, Jennifer Lopez, and Lupita Nyong’o were wrongfully stripped of Oscar nominations. Sylvie S. ’24, an Asian American, expressed her disappointment in the members of the Academy, describing them as just “a bunch of old white men.” 

FRAZER HARRISON, EMMA McINTYRE/GETTY IMAGES, JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP
Golden Globe-winning actress’ Akwafina, Jennifer Lopez, and Lupita Nyong’o

Alexandra Husmann, the Middle School computer science teacher, believes that “it would’ve been normal for the Oscars to consist of predominantly white people back in the day, but in this day and age, there needs to be more diversity.” 

Isabella M. ’22 replied “no” when we asked her if she knew about this year’s Oscar nominees. However, she knows about the lack of diversity in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. She too believes that “the people in power that make these decisions have to be more diverse.”