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Gina Prince-Bythewood is finally weighing into this year’s “Oscars So White” conversation. Gina directed The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, which was completely shut out of the Oscar nominations. I didn’t hear as much buzz about the movie itself warranting a Best Picture nomination, but Viola got a lot of other noms and was on a lot of short lists. Gina spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about her reaction to the lack of nominations, calling this awards season “an eye-opener.”
The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood is speaking out for the first time since her movie was shut out from receiving any nominations at the 95th Academy Awards.
“This awards season was an eye-opener,” Prince-Bythewood told The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday in a piece exploring her reaction to the nominations, which left no women nominated for Best Director and Woman King star Viola Davis shut out of the Best Actress conversation.
“I’ve gotten so many texts and emails from people in the industry outraged by the Oscar nominations. Of course I’m disappointed. Who wouldn’t be?” the director, whose past films include Love and Basketball (2000) and The Old Guard (2020), told the outlet. “Especially because there was so much love for our film.”
Despite The Woman King’s lack of recognition from the Academy, Prince-Bythewood maintained that her film was a success, citing the movie’s positive reviews from critics and audiences, as well as “groundbreaking and historic” global box office numbers that show the film will earn $100 million.
“Not only does The Woman King exist in the world, but it’s a success in the world… So, our film made money and clearly had a cultural impact, which is what we all hoped for,” she told the outlet.
“But the Academy made a very loud statement, and for me to stay quiet is to accept that statement,” she added. “So I agreed to speak up, on behalf of Black women whose work has been dismissed in the past, is dismissed now like Alice Diop and Saint Omer, Chinonye Chukwu and Till — and for those who haven’t even stepped on a set yet.”
Prince-Bythewood opined to THR that she does not think it’s fair to say The Woman King was “snubbed” because it was shut out entirely from the upcoming awards show even after it “hit all the so-called markers” of an Oscar-nominated film.
“It’s a reflection of where the Academy stands and the consistent chasm between Black excellence and recognition,” she said. “And, sadly, this is not just an issue in Hollywood but in every industry.”
In the story, the director also said that the Best Actress race — in which newly-minted EGOT winner Davis, 57, and Till’s Danielle Deadwyler were shut out after receiving several other awards season nominations — shows that “social capital is more valuable” in the Academy than campaigns from major studios.
Not that I want to disagree with Gina, but is this even an eye-opener at this point? The Academy does this pretty much every year. I do get what she’s saying — the movie was financially and critically successful so why was it completely absent from the Oscar nominations? Hm, I can only think of one reason. And yes, she’s right it wasn’t snubbed, it was completely shut out. A snub would be for one person or category, not all of them. I’m glad that Gina spoke out on this, as did the director of Till, Chinonye Chukwu. Staying quiet is a form of acceptance and also, it never got anyone anywhere. And she’s obviously very much alluding to the Andrea Riseborough thing with that comment about social capital being more valuable. And that’s social capital among a certain set. I didn’t even know who Andrea Riseborough was until this year. I definitely knew who Viola Davis is and I’ve seen a lot of Gina Prince-Bythewood movies. This is a reflection of where the Academy stands on Black recognition and they reflect the same thing every year.
Photos credit: Cat Morley/Avalon, Getty Images
This business as usual for the Academy.
This *is*
What sticks out for me is when we consider intersectionality–I truly believe that if this movie was based on a group of men, this film would have been nominated in ata least a couple categories. I think both sexism and racism are really at play here. I identify as a woman and present as feminine, and I cannot tell you how many times I have been forced to consider in my life: “Would this person/organization have said or done that if I presented as a man?”
I literally do this every other month. I ask a question at work about timelines, and a man–rather than giving me a straight answer–tells me to “have patience,” and I feminist rage for a week about it.
“have patience” ranks right up there with ” calm down” and a patronizing pat on the head.
I do think it’a an eye opener because we always think “if I just do it right, if it’s successful, if everyone agrees on it, surely the movie will get oscar recognition”. They did everything right and still … it hurts to see it actually IS so white.
Agreed. It’s disheartening to put yourself out there, reach all the previously accepted goal posts and still be shut out. There’s always this hope that if you do something “just right” you’ll get your due. To accept otherwise (in this case, the eye-opening realization that the problem is with the system and not you) is to accept your lack of control in the situation at all. I actually think that’s why some PoC are hesitant to talk about it, they want to believe that to be treated differently because of race is exception rather than rule.
Add to the fact that this has been an issue for decades. The Academy is just as racist as all other institutions and they should be called out on it. I agree that more POC should speak up about it but I think that they are hesitant as they don’t want to be labeled as “troublemakers” which will hurt them in the long run.
All you have to do is look at Spike Lee who has been denied any awards for his movies proves that the Academy has an issue with POC.
Or maybe, just maybe, an issue is not being labeled — since most of us have already been labeled in multiple ways — but recognizing, deciding, that energy and effort and emotional investments are better used in other ways.
I’m in a very different industry, and I’ve worked very hard to get a seat at the table. I also recognize that whether I get there or not isn’t, in the end, really up to me. I can check all the boxes, hit all of the benchmarks, and still find that the gatekeepers won’t let me in. At some point, it feels like I’m choosing between expending my energies knocking on doors that will remain closed, or, at best, ajar. I’d rather use my energies, instead, pursuing excellence.
So, yeah, I fully agree that they should always be called out on it. And, yes, it is disheartening. It’s not an eye-opener though. It’s business as usual. Things have changed, and maybe they’ll change some more. But some of this is no different from what many have said about Harry and Meghan. What’s the best course of action in the face of relationships that continue to refuse to recognize not just your gifts and strengths, but your place in the “family” — and even your essential humanity?
Constantly changing the goalposts is SOP for Hollywood. All POC can do is call this mess out, and continue to do the best work they can. There is no “right way,” just as there is no perfection. Trying to meet this industry’s standards of “excellence” is a losing game that wastes time and your talents.
It feels unless a black person is playing a slave or a destitute character they aren’t recognized.
That’s very much it. For Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, the Academy has always adopted a “stay in your [oppression] lane” stance.
A few years ago I was saying that Gina Prince-Bythewood was making beautiful movies in the vein of Nicole Holofcener and Alex Payne but receiving a lot less attention.
Now she’s made a successful $100 million dollar action movie a la Pattie Jenkins, Katherine Bigelow and Ava DuVernay (also snubbed repeatedly).
She’s a victim of sexism and racism and I’m glad she’s not staying quiet bc there are too many women of color producing excellent work which Hollywood needs to recognize. I don’t expect it from Cannes but the Oscars can/should/knows better.
I loved Woman King and I was really hoping to see Viola nominated, but at the same time, a small voice was saying “You know white folks don’t want to reward a “Black” film where we have agency and fight for ourselves and are the heroes of our own stories. White Hollywood doesn’t like or reward Black films unless folks are enslaved, suffering or downtrodden.” But even Till couldn’t compete against the all time favorite trope – a pretty white actress who makes herself look haggard for a role.
Given the changes taking place in Black films (and the pushback against Black suffering for mass entertainment) I wonder if great films like The Woman King will continue to be made and do really well financially and get great reviews but not get the rewards or acknowledgement they deserve.
I dont get it. The movie had a budget of 50M, making 100M means it’s barely breaking even?
The budget doesn’t (usually) account for marketing and promotion costs, as well as other things probably, that can really add up. A film can make it’s actual budget back and still lose money. Confusing, right?
Yeah she’s right on in the vast majority of her comments but ““groundbreaking and historic” global box office numbers”? Huh?
That’s $100 million worldwide. For a $50 million budget before marketing, that is break even territory. That’s…OK? But hey, under the circumstances she has the right to be defensive and finesse things a bit. Everyone in Hollywood does it!
The best way for people to support films from Black filmmakers is pay to see them, less so to tweet about the Oscars.
I sadly did not get to see The Woman King yet (it was one of two movies on my list for the winter that I have missed out on). But even I’m surprised because it seems pretty blatant. ….. NO nominations? Like, not a single one? Not even technical noms?
You can still see it in theaters. It’s still playing. They rereleased it along with Till and BP:Wakanda Forever for Black History Month. So those movies should be playing near you. If not, they are available for purchase or rental at home.
I loved Woman King. It was a passionate work of love from Viola. She was good on it. But when isn’t she.
BP:WK picked up all the technical nominations. You know there can’t be two movies centering African Heritage (or its history) nominated in the same categories! It would be practically a majority! /s
I liked ‘The Woman King’ but didn’t have the best viewing experience – some teenagers behind me were taking selfies then started literally rolling around on the theater floor.
So I want to shout out another Prince-Blythewood movie: ‘The Old Guard!’ I loved it. ‘Old Guard 2’ is supposed to be on Netflix later this year, but she didn’t direct that one.
Gina told not one lie in the interview. Quote after quote after quote was all over social media spreading the word for everyone to stop what they doing and read the full interview.
I came out of the theatre sure that Viola would be nominated. I liked her portrayal here more than in Fences, tbh. That Lashana Lynch was not even in the Supporting conversation was totally a crime, though. She was brilliant.
Chile, look at Beyonce losing four times to white folks…whew! This is the world and the industry we live in, unfortunately.
The only problem I have with all of this is does anyone actually care about the oscars anymore? If your making a movie to win an award. Then your doing it all wrong. If this woman can keep making movies that make money. She will be fine.
People in their industry want to be recognized for their hard work. That’s the point. Oscars are the pinnacle of their profession, and yes, Black and Brown people in that industry want to be acknowledged for their work.
Yes. I think the Oscars might matter less and less to the general public, and, at some point, the televised award show should probably be scrapped. At the same time, this is an annual opportunity for peer recognition for several professions. Most creatives are probably working for personal satisfaction, as well as peer recognition and the opportunities and access that come along with that.
About a decade ago, I read the description of the awards similar to the Annual Car Show in historic terms.
Designed to call attention to the industry, by publicly choosing the best car in a particular year, including varying categories.
A subjective matter, at best.
What it has become over the years in ‘Hollywood’ is more like a popularity contest with its cache in social and interactions/realms…
Hence the unfairness. Mediocrity rules.
This has to factor into the talented and skilled non-europeans who has chosen this field as a career.
This year picks is demonstrative of that need to expect……not settle……
Due to salary considerations, not to mention funding for projects….
Gina is a skilled artistic woman with integrity, I hope this situation make more people become aware of her work.
Every individual have a finite amount of energy, find a balance with an eye on your next project.
Remember that the limitation is not in your imagination nor your art.
Pick your battles wisely, to live another day.
Thanks Bob Marley…..who is still with us with his art.