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Will Smith not attending Oscars in protest over ‘lack of diversity’

LOS ANGELES — Will Smith has joined his wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, in vowing not to attend the Feb 28 Academy Awards ceremony in protest over the lack of diversity among nominees in major categories this year. Smith’s decision comes as pressure mounts on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to address what many are calling the org’s diversity crisis.

Reuters file photo

Reuters file photo

LOS ANGELES — Will Smith has joined his wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, in vowing not to attend the Feb 28 Academy Awards ceremony in protest over the lack of diversity among nominees in major categories this year. Smith’s decision comes as pressure mounts on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to address what many are calling the org’s diversity crisis.

Smith told “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts today (Jan 21) that he is “uncomfortable” with the situation. For the second year in a row, the 20 acting nominees are all white. Smith generated Oscar buzz this awards season for his work in the football drama “Concussion.”

“My wife’s not going. It would be awkward to show up with Charlize (Theron). We’ve discussed it. We’re part of this community. But at this current time, we’re uncomfortable to stand there and say this is OK.”

Smith has previously been nommed twice for best actor, for 2001’s “Ali” and 2006’s “The Pursuit of Happyness.”

The angry response to this year’s Oscar nominations has steamrolled in the past few days. Pinkett-Smith expressed her outrage last week after the Jan. 14 nominations announcement. Director Spike Lee joined her in vowing to sit out the ceremony, although on Wednesday during a “GMA” appearance Lee made a point of telling anchor George Stephanopoulos that he was not calling for others to boycott the ceremony.

Yesterday, past AMPAS board member Quincy Jones said he would seek to address the current board next week on the issue. Jones is the first African-American to be appointed to the Academy’s board of governors and the first African-American to be awarded the Academy’s prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He’s also a four-time Oscar nominee and he exec produced the Oscar telecast in 1996. VARIETY.COM/REUTERS

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