BAFTAs Nominate Only White Actors, Only Male Directors

Film fans have been voicing their concerns on social media after it was revealed that all 20 of this year’s acting Bafta nominations have gone to white stars, and no women were nominated for Best Director.

On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that stars including Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, Scarlett Johansson and Renée Zellweger had all been recognized for their acting work in the last year, with Margot Robbie even bagging two nominations in the same category.

A selection of the stars nominated at this year’s Baftas

However, many quickly pointed out that actors of color have been completely snubbed at this year’s ceremony, despite many receiving critical acclaim for their performances, including Lupita Nyong’o for her dual role in the horror film Us and The Farewell star Awkwafina.

Many also pointed out the absence of Eddie Murphy, Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom had been nominated for Golden Globes for their roles in Dolemite Is My Name, Harriet and Hustlers, respectively.

Seen as the British equivalent of the Oscars, the Baftas, which will be held on Feb. 2, are the last major awards show before the Oscars on Feb. 9, and are a somewhat reliable predictor of the Oscars.

Congratulations to the all-white nominees! Why even feign surprise at this point… #EEBAFTAs https://t.co/UjYTTbJ47I pic.twitter.com/GlH4XUBfdO

— Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020

It is rly embarrassing for Britain that this is what BAFTA is putting to the world as our standard-bearers for acting tho. Doesn’t reflect the diversity of the country at all. #EEBAFTAs

— Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020

Before anyone starts with ‘maybe these people were just better’ – I love Margot, but she barely spoke in OUATIH. Yet JLo can’t get a nod for her career best, and Lupita can’t get a nomination for Us? #EEBAFTAS

— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) January 7, 2020

Deeply disappointing to see there’s not a single person of colour nominated in either the Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories for the #EEBAFTAs.

And no, I’m not counting Scarlett Johansson.

— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020

Margot Robbie got TWO flippin’ nominations for Best Supporting Actress, but not one POC gets a nod in four categories? R U MAD BRUV???

— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020

Five different shades of blonde. #Diversity #BAFTASSoWhite https://t.co/sckCHdGwOV

— Jade O’Halloran (@_verdoux) January 7, 2020

Not a single person of color nominated despite plenty of contenders. No Lopez. No Nyong’o. No Erivo. No Shuzhen. No Awkwafina. No Parasite actors. No Murphy. #BAFTASsowhite

— Alejandro (@adounce) January 7, 2020

No nominations for Queen & Slim
No nominations for Harriet
No nominations for Blue Story
No nominations for Us

Appalling. #BAFTASSoWhite pic.twitter.com/zWIFcbgGA0

— lizzo mcguire (@JemalPolson) January 7, 2020

BAFTA. SO. WHITE. Absurd, all white actors, in a year with:
*7 nom-worthy performances in PARASITE
*2+ in The Farewell
*LUPITA NYONG’O
*Octavia Spencer, 2 best turns of her career – MA and LUCE
*@QueenAndSlim
*@wavesmovie
*Woodard + Aldis Hodge, Clemency
*Cynthia Erivo
*and more

— Tim Gerber (@Zuranthium) January 7, 2020

Y’all need to divert your attention from Oscar So White and take a look at the damn BAFTAs snubbing Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Lopez, and Awkwafina

— Mr. Mistoffelees (@kbaileyjava2) January 7, 2020

not a single poc nominated in the acting categories for the baftas… yea throw the baftas away

— rowan (@sapphicrogue) January 7, 2020

BAFTA hates diversity!

Jennifer Lopez
Awkwafina
Eddie Murphy
Cynthia Erivo
Lupita Nyong’O
Ana De Armas

Where are they?#BAFTA

— ? Anne Hathaway? (@anniiehathaway) January 7, 2020

Shocked at BAFTA for giving 2 noms to Margot Robbie, (in one role where she barely has any dialogue) and not nominating JLo for her outstanding turn as Ramona in Hustlers… says a lot that they’d rather nominate the same white woman twice than give a nomination to a Latina woman https://t.co/vFI2tPq2F7

— Harriet King (@harrietnking) January 7, 2020

BAFTA when it comes to diversity pic.twitter.com/iGQCnkT28b

— ari. (@nottfunnyy) January 7, 2020

All of the BAFTA acting nominees are white and 20% is either Scarlett Johansson or Margot Robbie, well done everyone

— Simon Wright (@simonwrite) January 7, 2020
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Many have also lamented the fact that, much like the recent Golden Globes, no women have been nominated in the Best Director category, despite critically-acclaimed efforts from filmmakers Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig and Lorene Scafaria, among many others.

Where is this commitment to diversity in awards @BAFTA that you’ve set yourself when you do not nominate any woman for director OR any POC for any acting nominations??? #baftasomale #baftasowhite https://t.co/ZIBdjS0Kbj

— Kelly Holmes (@vintagetakk) January 7, 2020

Completely white nominations across all acting categories and an entirely male selection for best director! Congrats BAFTAs really solid move there!

— Daniel Bravo (@DanielCBravo) January 7, 2020

wow so where are the females in the best director nominations for the @BAFTA #baftas ????

— hamidha? (@ednamariemode) January 7, 2020

It’s depressing @BAFTA voters can’t see excluding female directors & BAME acting talent undermines the legitimacy of the awards themselves. While great films have been recognised & that should be celebrated, the gold mask is clearly tarnished by gender/racial bias in action.

— David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020

I love @BAFTA but it’s disgraceful there are no female Best Director nominees once again. In a year that saw Olivia Wilde, Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig & more connect with audiences, its even more baffling & wrong. They must address this urgently, it overshadows all their good work

— David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020

All-Male Best Director line-up, all white acting nominees, and a near-slobbering devotion to Hollywood over our own industry and its creatives. Seriously, at this point in time, the Baftas are becoming pathetically irrelevant.

— Kayleigh Donaldson (@Ceilidhann) January 7, 2020

Hey @BAFTA, I fixed it for you…

? Booksmart – Olivia Wilde
? The Farewell – Lulu Wang
? Hustlers – Lorene Scafaria
? Little Women – Greta Gerwig
? The Souvenir – Joanna Hogg#EEBAFTAs https://t.co/OshaRlzqu9

— Louis Whyte-Smith (@lswhytsmth) January 7, 2020

Earlier in the week, Bafta announced the contenders for the Rising Star award which included a much more diverse list of people, including Micheal Ward – of Top Boy and Blue Story fame – and the aforementioned Awkwafina.

Also competing for the Rising Star title are Jack Lowden, Awkwafina and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

And finally, a reminder of the @EE Rising Star Award nominations:

? Awkwafina
? Kaitlyn Dever
? Kelvin Harrison Jr
? Jack Lowden
? Micheal Ward

Vote for your winner now! https://t.co/4hxN1BHe9L #EEBAFTAs #EERisingStar pic.twitter.com/zNXI303L3o

— BAFTA (@BAFTA) January 7, 2020