Here’s why nominating more actors wouldn’t fix Oscar diversity
An Oscars statue on the red carpet. (Associated Press)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new membership rules today to increase diversity a second year of nominating only white actors.
There had been speculation that the organization would expand the number of nominees for some categories. But would such a change in rules help the Academy's diversity problem?
Of the 25 nominees in acting and directing categories this year, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu is the only non-white person. By examining the actors and directors that Times critics identified as having received Oscars buzz during the awards season without being nominated, we found the racial diversity of nominees increased only from 4% to 8%.
Non-white
Director
Alejandro Iñárritu
Tom McCarthy
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
Lenny Abrahamson
George Miller
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Room"
Adam McKay
"The Big Short"
Not nominated but
had Oscars buzz
Todd Haynes
Danny Boyle
"Carol"
"Steve Jobs"
Quentin Tarantino
Ridley Scott
"The Hateful Eight"
"The Martian"
Steven Spielberg
Tom Hooper
"Bridge of Spies"
"The Danish Girl"
Actor
Bryan Cranston
Matt Damon
"Trumbo"
"The Martian"
Leonardo DiCaprio
Michael Fassbender
"The Revenant"
"Steve Jobs"
Eddie Redmayne
"The Danish Girl"
Not nominated but
had Oscars buzz
Johnny Depp
Michael Caine
"Black Mass"
"Youth"
Will Smith
Steve Carell
Concussion
"The Big Short"
Actress
Cate Blanchett
Brie Larson
"Carol"
"Room"
Jennifer Lawrence
Charlotte Rampling
"Joy"
"45 Years"
Saoirse Ronan
"Brooklyn"
Not nominated but
had Oscars buzz
Charlize Theron
Lily Tomlin
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Grandma"
Supporting actor
Christian Bale
Tom Hardy
"The Big Short"
"The Revenant"
Mark Rylance
Mark Ruffalo
"Spotlight"
"Bridge of Spies"
Sylvester Stallone
"Creed"
Not nominated but
had Oscars buzz
Idris Elba
Jason Tremblay
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Room"
Joel Edgerton
Seth Rogen
"Black Mass"
"Steve Jobs"
Michael Keaton
Paul Dano
"Spotlight"
"Steve Jobs"
Michael Shannon
"99 Homes"
Supporting actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rooney Mara
"The Hateful Eight"
"Carol"
Alicia Vikander
Rachel McAdams
"Spotlight"
"The Danish Girl"
Kate Winslet
"Steve Jobs"
Not nominated but
had Oscars buzz
Helen Mirren
Jane Fonda
"Trumbo"
"Youth"
Joan Allen
"Room"
Non-white
Director
Alejandro Iñárritu
Tom McCarthy
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
George Miller
Lenny Abrahamson
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Room"
Adam McKay
"The Big Short"
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Todd Haynes
Danny Boyle
"Carol"
"Steve Jobs"
Quentin Tarantino
Ridley Scott
"The Hateful Eight"
"The Martian"
Steven Spielberg
Tom Hooper
"Bridge of Spies"
"The Danish Girl"
Actor
Bryan Cranston
Matt Damon
"Trumbo"
"The Martian"
Leonardo DiCaprio
Michael Fassbender
"The Revenant"
"Steve Jobs"
Eddie Redmayne
"The Danish Girl"
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Johnny Depp
Michael Caine
"Black Mass"
"Youth"
Steve Carell
Will Smith
"The Big Short"
Concussion
Actress
Cate Blanchett
Brie Larson
"Carol"
"Room"
Jennifer Lawrence
Charlotte Rampling
"Joy"
"45 Years"
Saoirse Ronan
"Brooklyn"
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Charlize Theron
Lily Tomlin
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Grandma"
Supporting actor
Christian Bale
Tom Hardy
"The Big Short"
"The Revenant"
Mark Rylance
Mark Ruffalo
"Spotlight"
"Bridge of Spies"
Sylvester Stallone
"Creed"
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Idris Elba
Jason Tremblay
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Room"
Joel Edgerton
Seth Rogen
"Black Mass"
"Steve Jobs"
Michael Keaton
Paul Dano
"Spotlight"
"Steve Jobs"
Michael Shannon
"99 Homes"
Supporting actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rooney Mara
"The Hateful Eight"
"Carol"
Rachel McAdams
Alicia Vikander
"Spotlight"
"The Danish Girl"
Kate Winslet
"Steve Jobs"
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Helen Mirren
Jane Fonda
"Trumbo"
"Youth"
Joan Allen
"Room"
Non-white
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Director
Alejandro Iñárritu
Tom McCarthy
George Miller
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
Lenny Abrahamson
Adam McKay
"Room"
"The Big Short"
Todd Haynes
Danny Boyle
Quentin Tarantino
"Carol"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Hateful Eight"
Steven Spielberg
Tom Hooper
Ridley Scott
"Bridge of Spies"
"The Danish Girl"
"The Martian"
Actor
Bryan Cranston
Matt Damon
Leonardo DiCaprio
"Trumbo"
"The Martian"
"The Revenant"
Michael Fassbender
Eddie Redmayne
"Steve Jobs"
"The Danish Girl"
Steve Carell
Johnny Depp
Michael Caine
"The Big Short"
"Black Mass"
"Youth"
Will Smith
Concussion
Actress
Cate Blanchett
Brie Larson
Jennifer Lawrence
"Carol"
"Room"
"Joy"
Charlotte Rampling
Saoirse Ronan
"45 Years"
"Brooklyn"
Charlize Theron
Lily Tomlin
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Grandma"
Supporting actor
Christian Bale
Tom Hardy
Mark Ruffalo
"The Big Short"
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
Mark Rylance
Sylvester Stallone
"Bridge of Spies"
"Creed"
Idris Elba
Jason Tremblay
Joel Edgerton
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Room"
"Black Mass"
Seth Rogen
Michael Keaton
Paul Dano
"Steve Jobs"
"Spotlight"
"Steve Jobs"
Michael Shannon
"99 Homes"
Supporting actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rooney Mara
Rachel McAdams
"The Hateful Eight"
"Carol"
"Spotlight"
Alicia Vikander
Kate Winslet
"The Danish Girl"
"Steve Jobs"
Helen Mirren
Jane Fonda
Joan Allen
"Room"
"Trumbo"
"Youth"
Non-white
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Director
Alejandro Iñárritu
Tom McCarthy
George Miller
Lenny Abrahamson
Adam McKay
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Room"
"The Big Short"
Ridley Scott
Todd Haynes
Danny Boyle
Quentin Tarantino
Steven Spielberg
"Carol"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Hateful Eight"
"Bridge of Spies"
"The Martian"
Tom Hooper
"The Danish Girl"
Actor
Bryan Cranston
Matt Damon
Leonardo DiCaprio
Michael Fassbender
Eddie Redmayne
"Trumbo"
"The Martian"
"The Revenant"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Danish Girl"
Johnny Depp
Michael Caine
Steve Carell
Will Smith
"Black Mass"
"Youth"
"The Big Short"
Concussion
Actress
Cate Blanchett
Brie Larson
Jennifer Lawrence
Charlotte Rampling
Saoirse Ronan
"Carol"
"Room"
"Joy"
"45 Years"
"Brooklyn"
Charlize Theron
Lily Tomlin
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Grandma"
Supporting actor
Christian Bale
Tom Hardy
Mark Ruffalo
Mark Rylance
Sylvester Stallone
"The Big Short"
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
"Bridge of Spies"
"Creed"
Idris Elba
Jason Tremblay
Joel Edgerton
Michael Keaton
Paul Dano
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Room"
"Black Mass"
"Spotlight"
"Steve Jobs"
Seth Rogen
Michael Shannon
"Steve Jobs"
"99 Homes"
Supporting actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rooney Mara
Rachel McAdams
Alicia Vikander
Kate Winslet
"The Hateful Eight"
"Carol"
"Spotlight"
"The Danish Girl"
"Steve Jobs"
Helen Mirren
Jane Fonda
Joan Allen
"Trumbo"
"Youth"
"Room"
Non-white
Not nominated but had Oscars buzz
Director
Alejandro Iñárritu
Tom McCarthy
George Miller
Lenny Abrahamson
Adam McKay
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Room"
"The Big Short"
Ridley Scott
Todd Haynes
Danny Boyle
Quentin Tarantino
Steven Spielberg
"The Martian"
"Carol"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Hateful Eight"
"Bridge of Spies"
Tom Hooper
"The Danish Girl"
Actor
Bryan Cranston
Matt Damon
Leonardo DiCaprio
Michael Fassbender
Eddie Redmayne
"Trumbo"
"The Martian"
"The Revenant"
"Steve Jobs"
"The Danish Girl"
Steve Carell
Johnny Depp
Michael Caine
Will Smith
"The Big Short"
"Black Mass"
"Youth"
Concussion
Actress
Cate Blanchett
Brie Larson
Jennifer Lawrence
Charlotte Rampling
Saoirse Ronan
"Carol"
"Room"
"Joy"
"45 Years"
"Brooklyn"
Charlize Theron
Lily Tomlin
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Grandma"
Supporting actor
Christian Bale
Tom Hardy
Mark Ruffalo
Mark Rylance
Sylvester Stallone
"The Big Short"
"The Revenant"
"Spotlight"
"Bridge of Spies"
"Creed"
Idris Elba
Jason Tremblay
Joel Edgerton
Michael Keaton
Paul Dano
"Beasts of No Nation"
"Room"
"Black Mass"
"Spotlight"
"Steve Jobs"
Seth Rogen
Michael Shannon
"Steve Jobs"
"99 Homes"
Supporting actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rooney Mara
Rachel McAdams
Alicia Vikander
Kate Winslet
"The Hateful Eight"
"Carol"
"Spotlight"
"The Danish Girl"
"Steve Jobs"
Helen Mirren
Jane Fonda
Joan Allen
"Trumbo"
"Youth"
"Room"
Source: Times reporting
Kyle Kim @kyleykim
From the Oscars to the Emmys.
Get the Envelope newsletter for exclusive awards season coverage, behind-the-scenes stories from the Envelope podcast and columnist Glenn Whipp’s must-read analysis.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
