How Racist are the Oscars?

Pop Culture | Imani Majors | March 13th, 2023.

Michelle Yeoh has cemented Oscar history by becoming the first Asian American to win best actress. She took home the award for her acclaimed performance in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, released by A24. Michelle Yeoh has spent a career starring in action films across the globe, but her role as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant who connects with parallel universes to prevent the destruction of the multiverse, is what gave her the historic award. In her speech, she dedicated her award to “all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility. This is proof that dreams dream big and dreams do come true.” 

Michelle Yeoh’s victory is a step in the right direction from the long history of a lack of diversity in the Oscars. 89% of nominations in the past decade went to White people, while only 6% went to Black people, 2% to Hispanic people, and a mere 1% to Asian people. Since the 2015 #OscarsSoWhite debate, which highlighted the lack of racial diversity in the Oscars, there has been a slight increase in ethnic minority nominees by increasing the pool of people who get to vote to 10,000 members. However, many still feel that the lack of acknowledgment for Black talent and that of other minorities are still underrepresented, and more reform is needed in the diversifying of Academy voters. 

While this year's award ceremony is the most inclusive to date, so much more work is needed. As a nation that has struggled with equality for centuries, change is necessary on all fronts. Celebrating the demographics of people in an industry that is primarily run by White men is the right step forward for a more diverse Hollywood.