Academy President Releases Statement After Jada Pinkett Smith And Spike Lee Announce Oscar Boycott

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
After Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee announced they would be boycotting the 2016 Oscars due to a lack of diversity, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, released a statement on Tuesday.

In her statement to Us Weekly, Isaacs said:

"I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."

On Monday, Pinkett Smith announced in a very dramatic Facebook video that she would not be attending or watching the show, saying, "The Academy has the right to acknowledge whoever they choose. To invite whoever they choose. And now I think that it's our responsibility now to make the change." Will Smith's wife added,"Begging for acknowledgment or even asking diminishes dignity and diminishes power. And we are a dignified people, and we are powerful. So let the Academy do them in all grace and love. And let's do us differently."

We think the message of standing up to the exclusion is important, but Pinkett Smith's last two roles were in Magic Mike XXL and Gotham -- I don't think the Oscars is going to miss her that much if she doesn't show.

On the other hand, Hollywood heavy hitter Spike Lee is also boycotting the awards ceremony, writing on his Instagram, "Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy. But, How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White?"

We can't disagree with the sentiment -- it 50 shades of effed up that all the actors nominated are white, given the current climate of inclusion and diversity.

Amazingly enough, Chris Rock, who has taken on social media, calling out the "white BET Awards," will host the 2016 Oscars on Sunday, February 28 at 7 p.m. EST on ABC.