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The Oscars

Twitter backlash: #OscarsSoWhite mocks lack of diversity among Oscar nominees

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

January 15, 2015 | 5 min read

Social media users have lashed out at the Academy Awards’ lack of nominee diversity by adopting the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

12 Years a Slave excelled at the 2014 awards

The social movement emerged after the academy snubbed non-white actors contrasting with 2014's event which saw black director Steven McQueen win best director for 12 Years a Slave followed by Lupita Nyong’o picking up best supporting actress for her role in the film.

The lack of diversity in the 2015 awards was a point of contention for Twitter users with white males taking home the vast majority of prizes since the Oscars’ inception in 1927.

The LA Times also reported that the diversity issue not only plagues the nominees - but the voters. The voting group is reportedly 94 per cent Caucasian and 77 per cent male.

Twitter users mocked this year’s selection, while others chastised the absence of Selma from the nominations.

Movie lovers were also shocked of the absence of the Lego Movie from the Oscar nominations list. The Lego Movie director Philip Lord congratulated his crew by tweeting a Lego-built Oscar.

The social backlash emerged days after leaked agency documents showed that the $5.5m was to be invested in marketing the Oscars 2015 - with $500,000 reportedly set aside for social media promotions.

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