Lupita Nyong'o joins Jada Pinkett and Spike Lee in criticising Oscars

Lupita expresses her disappointment in the 2016 nominations.

Despite winning best supporting actress in 2013 for her role in 12 Years A slave, Lupita Nyong’o is not a happy lady following the recently unveiled Academy Awards nominations in which she feels there was a lack of diversity in the 2016 nominations.

“I am disappointed by the lack of inclusion in this year’s Academy Awards nominations. It has me thinking about unconscious prejudice and what merits prestige in our culture,” Lupita wrote.

“The Awards should not dictate the terms of art in our modern society, but rather be a diverse reflection of the best of what our art has to offer today,” she continued, “I stand with my peers who are calling for change in expanding the stories that are told and recognition of the people who tell them,” she added.

To further drive her point home, Lupita included a quote by James Baldwin saying: “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

2013, the year when Nyong'o won the Oscar, was the last time that the acting nominees were not all white actors. There was Chiwetel Ejiofor and Barkhad Abdi who received nods from the Academy. The 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen, who is black, also picked up Best Director and the film won Best Picture. 

Last week however sparked concern especially given the number of string choices and performances presented for nomination.

Jada Smith whose husband Will Smith wasn't nominated for his performance in the NFL head trauma drama "Concussion," said it was time for people of color to disregard the Academy Awards.

"Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking, diminishes dignity and diminishes power," she said, "And we are a dignified people and we are powerful."