After stating that the boycott was “racist to white people” and “anti-white racism”, she recanted her statements on Friday night.
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Hours after actress Charlotte Rampling told an interviewer that the blowback against this year’s all-white acting nominees was itself “racist”, she is walking back her comments. “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. We live in a country now where everyone is more or less accepted.
The veteran actress discussed how the film industry is selective about a lot of aspects of appearance, not just race. People will always say: “Him, he’s less handsome”; “Him, he’s too black”; “He is too white” … someone will always be saying “You are too” [this or that] …
When it comes to this issue, however, Rampling seems to be in the minority.
The controversy broke out after last week’s Oscar nominations – the second year in a row in which all 20 acting nominees are white. George Clooney and Mark Ruffalo, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor this year, both believe that African Americans have valid points.
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”.
Matt Mueller, editor of film industry publication Screen International, said Rampling’s comments may hurt her chances at winning the coveted award.
Perhaps it would, but that’s not a good reason for her to win, and I infer from Rampling’s statement about classifying people that she agrees with awarding Oscars based on merit, not identity politics. “It took me years to get an Oscar, years”.
Diversity campaigners called her comments ill-thought-out and “silly”.It follows a week of global debate about this year’s Oscars. She also pronounced herself “highly encouraged” by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decision to try and aggressively diversify its membership.
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She was referring to black Oscars hopefuls including “Beasts of No Nation’s” Idris Elba, “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan and movie writer Ryan Coogler and the cast of N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton” who were overlooked by academy voters.
