Rampling (69) told France’s Europe 1 radio yesterday that, while it’s impossible to know for sure, “maybe the black actors didn’t deserve to be in the final stretch”.
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Rampling, who was nominated for best actress for her performance in “45 Years”, says the charge is unfair to the white actors nominated. “Problems will always be sought [people say] “him, he’s less attractive”, “him, he is too black”, “him, he is too white”… there will always be someone who comes out saying ‘you are too something'”.
“Why should the Academy introduce measures that would classify people just for the sake of having “lots of minorities everywhere?” “I am highly encouraged by the changes announced today by the Academy to diversify its membership”.
In an interview aired earlier on Friday on Europe 1 radio, Rampling was asked if she felt African-American director Spike Lee was right to pledge to boycott the Oscars over the absence of blacks among the nominees. It’s the fact that EVERYONE ELSE thinks you’re wrong. She tweeted, “Outrageous, ignorant & offensive comments from Rampling”.
Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs have also voiced their disappointment.
Her original comments seem to mimic that of veteran actor Michael Caine, who also said performances should be judged on their merit and not by the colour of an actor’s skin. The board said in a statement that its goal was “to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020”. “These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact”. It marked the second straight year that the nominees in the acting categories were all white.
In an update on the official website of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences headed “Academy takes historic action to increase diversity”, organisers say they have taken a unanimous vote agreeing to the changes.
But will purging people who haven’t gotten a movie credit in ten years make the voters more female?
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File picture of British actress Charlotte Rampling receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 28th European Film Award ceremony in Berlin December 12, 2015.
