‘The Woman King’ Director Gina Prince-Bythewood Addresses Lack of Black Oscar Nominees: ‘We Need Concrete Change’
variety.comNAACP Image Awards on Saturday evening. “The Woman King” director penned an essay in The Hollywood Reporter after her historical drama found itself completely shut out of the Academy Awards, despite landing several precursor noms across other awards bodies and craft institutions.
Prince-Bythewood called the season “an eye-opener” and that “the Academy made a very loud statement, and for me to stay quiet is to accept that statement.” “We know the issues exist, but they felt amplified this year,” Prince-Bythewood told Variety senior entertainment writer Angelique Jackson on the red carpet, discussing her essay. “The responses have been really amazing.
The number of people that have reached out and sharing it — whole companies are sharing it — and then going to the BAFTAs and having people reference it as well, there’s no denying some of the things I put in and people were able to see firsthand what happened.” “My hope is change,” Prince-Bythewood continued. “It can’t just be talking about it and then forgetting it, because that’s what happens cyclically.
We need concrete change.”Gina Prince-Bythewood on the impact of her essay highlighting systemic issues in the awards process: “My hope is, though, change.
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