Cheadle, who was nominated in 2005 in the best actor category for his performance in Hotel Rwanda, had previously joked with Oscars host Chris Rock that he was attending the evening as a valet.
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Charlotte Rampling is making headlines after speaking out against the calls for a boycott of the Oscars.
Rampling seemed quite sure of herself when she made that comment in a French radio interview, adding, “One can never really know, but perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list”.
Charlotte Rampling accepts the silver bear for best actress for “45 Years” on stage during the Closing Ceremony of the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival at Berlinale Palace on February 14, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.
The actress is nominated Best Actress for her role in 45 Years. Chairman Kevin Tsujihara called the changes a “great step toward broadening the diversity and inclusivity of the Academy and, by extension, the industry”.
The actress simplified her opinion, explaining that she “meant to say that in an ideal world every performance will be given equal opportunities for consideration”.
Rampling’s comments come after Hollywood stars Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and directors Spike Lee and Michael Moore announced they will boycott next month’s Oscars ceremony over lack of diversity among nominees.
After her initial radio interview, many people slammed her comments on social media, including Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. “There will always be someone who’s too lovely, too black or not white enough”, she said, when asked if Hollywood should enforce quotas for minorities. Rampling, 69, is a British actress whose film career has spanned multiple decades, and has garnered her various awards and accolades. We live in countries where everyone is more or less accepted. “There are always questions about whether such-and-such a person is less handsome, such-and-such is too black, such-and-such is too blonde”. “And so we’re going to classify everything to make thousands of little minorities everywhere?”
Asked if the black community in the film industry felt like a minority, she replied: “No comment”.
It also prompted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to announce changes to the organization this week with the goal of doubling female and diverse membership by the year 2020.
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I’ve been a fan of Charlotte Rampling ever since I saw “Georgie Girl” almost 50 years ago.
