Black actors get nods in most Oscars categories

But overdue progress highlights the denial of recognition over years

At last year’s Academy Awards, comedian Chris Rock joked that Cynthia Erivo, the only Black actor to receive a nomination in 2020, had done “such a good job … hiding Black people” in her role as Harriet Tubman that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences “got her to hide all the Black nominees.”

This year, Black actors are represented in nearly all of the top categories, and — for the first time in the 93-year history of the annual awards show — all the acting accolades could go to people of color.

There are other milestones to celebrate, as well, including breakthroughs for actors of Asian heritage and for female directors. The striking contrast between last year’s ceremony and the one airing Sunday on ABC has lent an air of hope for change in an industry that, like other institutions, has been forced to reckon with its racism and sexism. But whether it signals a long-lasting shift remains to be seen, said Rashad Robinson, president of the civil rights advocacy organization Color of Change.

“My hope is that this is a sign that we’re moving forward,” Robinson said. But, in Hollywood, as with any industry, he says, “ongoing, sustained change around race does not happen overnight, nor does it happen because of a single flash point.”

Robinson said it’s important to keep in mind that this moment follows efforts by activists, organizations and Hollywood insiders — including the viral #OscarsSoWhite campaign, launched by April Reign in 2015 when white actors accounted for all 20 of that year’s acting nominees. In the years since, the academy has added more than 800 film industry professionals from various backgrounds to its member roster. But the work is far from over.

Even as the nominations include many long overdue achievements, there are still lapses that highlight disparities within the academy as an institution. In one of this year’s most glaring slights, the academy did not nominate Spike Lee’s searing Netflix drama “Da 5 Bloods” for any of the major categories, overlooking a widely acclaimed performance by Delroy Lindo in the process.

And while the Oscars are still viewed as the pre-eminent awards show for the entertainment industry, academy voters aren’t the only power brokers of awards season.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the voting body behind the Golden Globes — has come under intense scrutiny after the Los Angeles Times reported in February that the nearly 90-member organization has not included a single Black member in more than 20 years.

The HFPA reportedly refused to even watch “Girls Trip,” Malcolm D. Lee’s 2017 comedy centered on Black women, despite gamely nominating “Bridesmaids” — similarly themed, but with a predominantly white cast — in 2011. The Oscars also honored “Bridesmaids” with nods for best screenplay and supporting actress.

The HFPA, like the academy, has the power to open (and close) doors for actors, filmmakers and others in Hollywood, Robinson said. “That is why accountability, to make sure what they do is fair, is important.”

But overdue progress can be a double-edged sword. “That mix only indicates how deep the well of talent is and how outrageous the denial of recognition over the years has been,” Robinson added.