Colour Or Performance.

[webbo3]

Basically what Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith want are black actors and actresses to be nominated and awarded just because they are black, surely this would lower the worth of the Oscar awarded.

would they need to change the wording.?

The award for the best actor in a leading role goes to ?..... to

The award for the best black person in a leading role goes to

http://news.sky.com/story/1625292/calls-for-oscars-boycott-over-white-nominations





Dave.

[andy-hughes]

mushroom - ////It's impossible to know if someone is transgender simply from their outward appearance,//

that's a massive generalisation Andy; sadly for some trans people their origins will always be obvious. and even if they're not, the physiological differences invariably give them away; the difference in pelvic width mean that males and females walk differently. //

I take your point - but for the purposes of a drama, rather than a factual documentary, the director has carte blanche to portray his transgender character in any way he chooses, and that can be simply as a good looking man dressed as a woman - I have not seen the film so I cannot comment with authority.

The notion of trans-genderism is becoming a subject of interest among the chattering classes, but it has a seriously long way to go before it beomes anything like as observed and understood an aspect of culture to stand alongside the portrayal of black characters by white actors in makeup.

[douglas9401]

It's impossible to know if someone is transgender simply from their outward appearance...""

You'll have missed what little coverage there's been of the artist formerly known as Bruce then.

[mushroom25]

actually douglas, i had frank in mind.

[andy-hughes]

douglas - //It's impossible to know if someone is transgender simply from their outward appearance...""

You'll have missed what little coverage there's been of the artist formerly known as Bruce then. //

Not really comparable is it?

If you talk about individuals who make it their business to ensure that the world's media knows each and every insignificant move they make, then something like this is unlikely to creep under the radar.

But for the average person-in-the-street, such events remain no-one's business but theirs - which is the normal way to conduct your life.

[douglas9401]

Publicity or not, Caitlyn would never be mistaken for, as Humble Pie once sang, a natural born woman.
Not even in an East German track and field training camp in the '70s

[jim360]

There has been some disquiet amongst some in the trans* community about a non-trans actor playing a trans role. I can't say I agree necessarily. Indeed, in this case I'd argue that the community probably benefits from such a high-profile actor as Eddie Redmayne is becoming taking up the role. While a trans actor may have been more authentic, there can be no question that Redmayne is being disrespectful (indeed, interviews suggest that he learned a great deal and gained respect for actual trans people in producing the film), and I think it serves to lift the profile of the community in a positive way. I suspect many others in the community agree. In the longer term, though, I'd hope that trans roles would be played by trans actors.

I'm not sure this situation entirely compares to white actors "blacking up". On more than one occasion this was for comedic value, rather than out of touching respect, and of course there is plenty of messy history involved.

[ChillDoubt]

Well done Charlotte Rampling:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35380343

How such accusations can be levelled at the Academy when in recent years we've had such winners as Cuba Gooding Jr, Denzel Washington, Lupita N'Yongo, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman and Steve McQueen is beyond me. This year, the Academy decided that performances by some were not quite as good as the others, despite their colour.
Get over it.

[webbo3]

following on from ChillDoubts reply I see that 50 Cent is urging The Rock who is due to host the event to boycott it.

Chris Rock is due to host the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles but has been facing calls from high-profile names to pull out.

Rapper 50 Cent wrote on Instagram: "Please do not do the Oscars awards. You mean a lot man, don't do it. Please."

After the Golden Globes they could always ask Ricky Gervais, Im sure he would be very tactful and host it with decorum.

http://news.sky.com/story/1627948/rampling-says-oscars-row-is-racist-to-whites



Dave.

[Khandro]

Hang on! Don't forget the Hispanics;

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/less-than-5percent-of-actors-in-top-films-are-hispanic-new-study-finds/2014/08/06/5be9b224-1be7-11e4-82f9-2cd6fa8da5c4_story.html

[jim360]

While I can see why you're making that argument, Chilldoubt, it seems to me to be rather a non-sequitur. The Oscars selection process can still be biased against a particular race in general, even if the occasional winner makes it through. Put it another way, do you think that America was a country that had zero problems with racism in 1963, when Sidney Poitier won the Best Actor gong? Clearly it did, since the civil strife at the time was pretty severe.

I've argued earlier that I don't think this is necessary an issue of racism at the selection process (at least, not overall), but rather a bottom-up issue of black actors not being given enough of the roles they would need to attract attention for Oscar consideration. All the same, the fact that black actors have won awards in the recent past doesn't exonerate the Academy of racism either. It's a complex issue, and I'm not sure the boycott is appropriate, but Rampling's response is not appropriate either.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Liddle comments in today's Spectator.

[Khandro]

"Rod Liddle is the last honest man in Britain and the last one who tells it like it is"

Taki

[Togo]

Disgraceful Bruno didn't even get a mention for his staring role in the Revenant. After 6 months growing his hair and nails the Acadamy totally ignored him. He is currently rehearsing to play the part of 'Daddy Bear' in the new Goldilocks movie and having to eat porridge day in, day out.