Whoopi Goldberg on Oscars diversity row: I won one once – it can’t be that racist

Speaking out: Whoopi Goldberg has waded into the Oscars diversity row
Monica Schipper/Getty
Jennifer Ruby27 January 2016
The Weekender

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Whoopi Goldberg has waded into the Oscars diversity row, defending the Academy.

The US actress, who has hosted the event four times and won the award for Best Supporting Actress in 1991, has said that the panel is not ‘racist’.

Insisting that the lack of black actors nominated for roles has more to do with the film industry in general, she said: “I won once. So it can’t be that racist.

“Even if you fill the Academy with black and Latino and Asian members, if there’s no one on the screen to vote for, you’re not going to get the outcome that you want.”

Goldberg went on to say that the change needs to come from producers and directors rather than from inside the Academy.

Speaking on The View, she said: “You need directors and producers who will say, “Hey, what about so and so?” They need to be aware that the picture is not complete.”

Oscar nominations 2016

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Mentioning the boycott of this year’s ceremony, started by Jada Pinkett Smith, Goldeberg said:

“You wanna boycott something? Don’t go see the movies that don’t have your representation.

“That’s the boycott you want. To me, we have this conversation every year. It p***es me off.”

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