In the Oscars’ first several decades, the nomination of even one non-white actor was an exception to the rule, few and far between. In some ways, this tracks with the homogeneity of the country that produced these films. Between 1940 and 1950, according to the U.S. Census, America remained 89 percent white. (During that period, there were 3 non-white nominees out of 200 chosen, or 1.5%.) In past 25 years, the number of non-white actors earning nominations has steadily increased—peaking at 5, or one quarter of the 20 nominees, in 2006. Since 2010, 8.3% of acting nominees have been non-white.
The dominant reaction to this year’s crop of Oscar nominees, announced on Jan. 14, has been dismay at the group’s homogeneity coming during a year that saw a number of worthy performances from actors of color, including Will Smith in Concussion, Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation, Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson in Creed, Teyonah Parris in Chi-Raq, Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight and Benicio Del Toro in Sicario. Their names did not receive enough of the Academy’s votes to make the cut. Not since 1979-1980 has the Academy gone two years without nominating a non-white actor in any of the top 4 categories.
As of 2012, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences was, according to a Los Angeles Times study, 94% white. Many attribute the paucity of nominations for non-white actors to this lack of diversity. Others point to a film industry in which people of color have historically had less access to financing, fewer opportunities to direct and a continuous need to contend
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