Actress Jada Pinkett Smith, director Spike Lee to boycott 'White Oscars'

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The Academy of Motion Pictures has drawn a lot of flak this year for ignoring actors of the minority community while announcing the nominees of Oscar awards 2016. Being dubbed as 'White Oscars', the nominees this year comprise of only white actors, thereby ignoring some incredible performances by coloured actors.

Filmmaker Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith both have separately decided to boycott Oscars this year. Jada posted a video on Facebook on Monday and Lee posted a message on Instagram. Jada's husband, actor Will Smith's performance in 'Concussion' was in the running for a nomination but was ultimately overlooked.

We must stand in our power.Posted by Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday, January 18, 2016

Lee, who received an honorary Oscar in November last year, said in a long message on Instagram that he and his wife will not be attending the award ceremony this year. Lee asked why couldn't the Academy choose a single African-American actor as a nominee in the last two years.

#OscarsSoWhite... Again. I Would Like To Thank President Cheryl Boone Isaacs And The Board Of Governors Of The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences For Awarding Me an Honorary Oscar This Past November. I Am Most Appreciative. However My Wife, Mrs. Tonya Lewis Lee And I Will Not Be Attending The Oscar Ceremony This Coming February. We Cannot Support It And Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy. But, How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White? And Let's Not Even Get Into The Other Branches. 40 White Actors In 2 Years And No Flava At All. We Can't Act?! WTF!! It's No Coincidence I'm Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday. Dr. King Said "There Comes A Time When One Must Take A Position That Is Neither Safe, Nor Politic, Nor Popular But He Must Take It Because Conscience Tells Him It's Right". For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken. As I See It, The Academy Awards Is Not Where The "Real" Battle Is. It's In The Executive Office Of The Hollywood Studios And TV And Cable Networks. This Is Where The Gate Keepers Decide What Gets Made And What Gets Jettisoned To "Turnaround" Or Scrap Heap. This Is What's Important. The Gate Keepers. Those With "The Green Light" Vote. As The Great Actor Leslie Odom Jr. Sings And Dances In The Game Changing Broadway Musical HAMILTON, "I WANNA BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS". People, The Truth Is We Ain't In Those Rooms And Until Minorities Are, The Oscar Nominees Will Remain Lilly White. (Cont'd)
A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Jan 18, 2016 at 5:03am PST

Lee and Jada are not the first people to react on the Oscar snub in the four major acting categories. Most had expected the names of Idris Elba, Will Smitt and Michael B Jordan to feature in the nomination list for their performances. Host Chris Rock himself showed his disappointment over the nominations as he tweeted a video of the ceremony with the caption, "The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.(sic)"