A group called Creatives of Colour Network says it plans to protest outside the ceremony against a lack of racial diversity in show business.
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However, it is understood that the organisation will not seek to ensure that its membership reflects society as a whole, but will instead adopt a far less taxing target of reflecting the make-up of the film industry – which is still overwhelmingly white.
Ms Berry told the Daily Telegraph: “Not enough films are being made with diverse talent in front of the camera”.
Blanchett won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role gong in 2005 for The Aviator and won the best leading actress Bafta again in 2014 for her Oscar-winning performance in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.
Ms Berry said she was supportive of a planned peaceful protest outside tomorrow’s ceremony.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards 2016, also known as the 69th British Academy Film Awards, will be held on February 14, 2016, at 5 pm GMT.
However, Guiney said the inclusion of “arthouse blockbusters” such as The Lobster spoke to “the health of the British film industry”.
Leon said: “The problem is that all the judging panels are white”.
Despite media reports to the contrary, BAFTA has not actively chosen to increase the number of ethnic minority stars to present awards at the kudofest – a move which would suggest “tokenism” – but rather maintains it will continue to deliver a program as diverse as possible.
Beasts Of No Nation star Idris Elba, who is nominated for best supporting actor, and Star Wars actor John Boyega, a rising star nominee, are the only black actors to appear in this year’s Bafta shortlist.
Golden Globe victor Brie Larson, who also received a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in Room, and Londoner Bel Powley, who starred in The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, round off the nominees vying to be voted the next major star of the future. They feel that the industry needs to take notice.
“I’m not going to second guess the 6,500 members about why they chose the five they did [for best film]. I can’t control who’s nominated”, said Ms Berry. They know it isn’t good enough. “We want the same”.
The Hulk star, who has been nominated for Spotlight, attended the event with his wife Sunrise Coigney.
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Pioneering black American actor Sidney Poitier is due to receive a lifetime achievement award at the BAFTAs.
