Cynthia Erivo will not be performing at the award show this year due to a lack of diversity in the nominees.
What We Know:
- The Tony-award winning actress and star of the 2019 film Harriet explained her decision to The Associated Press. “I have a responsibility to represent women of color and people of color in film and TV. To perform… to celebrate something like that, that way, didn’t feel right,” she said.
- BAFTA’s director of awards, Emma Baehr, told The Hollywood Reporter that the academy would “have like to have seen more diversity in the nominations, it does continue to be an industry-wide issue. I think more films need to be made, and entered, giving people a chance to see them”.
- The lack of diversity this year is especially notable considering two POC made history at the Golden Globes earlier this month. Awkwafina won her category, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), for her performance in The Farewell. Ramy Yusef also took home the award for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Ramy. The award marked Hulu’s first win for a comedy actor in a TV series.
- Evrio told Extra, “I work hard and every single person of color who is working in these films this year has worked really hard, and there are many of them who deserve to be celebrated. And no women directors? It just was like, ‘C’mon.’”
Hopefully, the academy will be more inclusive next award season.
The nominees for this year’s BAFTA awards include:
Leading Actor: Leonardo Dicaprio, Adam Driver, Taron Egerton, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jonathan Pryce
Leading Actress: Jessie Buckley, Scarlett Johansson, Saoirse Ronan, Charlize Theron, and Renée Zellweger
Supporting Actor: Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Poe Pesci, and Brad Pitt
Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, and Margo Robbie for Bombshell and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
