Academy President Releases Statement on Lack of Diverse Nominees

For the second year in a row, people are calling out The Academy for the lack of diversity in the acting categories for the Oscars.
Every actor and actress nominated this year is white. Notably snubbed stars including Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation, Will Smith for Concussion, Michael B. Jordan for Creed, and the cast of Straight Outta Compton, among others.
“Of course I am disappointed, but [it is] not to take away the greatness (of the films nominated). This has been a great year in film, it really has across the board. You are never going to know what is going to appear on the sheet of paper until you see it,” Academy Cheryl Boone Isaacs said to Deadline. “We have got to speed it up.”
Meanwhile, celebrities have been commenting on the lack of diverse nominations on Twitter all morning.
Ricky Gervais took to his Twitter account to speak to the issue, and make a joke at the Academy’s expense.
Why did the Oscars announce all the white nominees first?
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 14, 2016
Click inside to read some tweets from celebrities, activists, and more…
.@HomeDepot I'm trying to re-paint my living room. Can't decide between eggshell white and "Oscars so White". Thoughts?
— Travon Free (@Travon) January 14, 2016
20 for 20! We did it. HUGE day for white actors. #Oscars2016
— Joshua Malina (@JoshMalina) January 14, 2016
#Amy director @asifkapadia on being that rare non-white nominee today: I guess I'll do my best to represent the 3 billion Asians out there.
— Tatiana Siegel (@TatianaSiegel27) January 14, 2016
Look at all that diversity in the Osc– oh….Wait….
— Tracie Thoms (@traciethoms) January 14, 2016
I haven't seen so many white people nominated for an Oscar since the last Oscars
— Brian Gaar (@briangaar) January 14, 2016
Heh heh https://t.co/OZttj95OWD
— Thandie Newton (@thandienewton) January 14, 2016
All white Oscar nominations are another example of the lack of diversity in Hollywood. Like the Rocky Mts. The higher u climb the whiter.
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) January 14, 2016
Hollywood has a fraudulent image of progressive and liberal politics and policies. We must take direct action to correct this. Talk is cheap
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) January 14, 2016