Jada Pinkett Smith said she was “absolutely” standing by her decision to boycott this year’s Oscars ceremony, citing Idris Elba’s nomination snub for Beasts of No Nation.
The actress, whose husband Will Smith failed to secure an Oscar nomination for Concussion, spoke with TMZ on Wednesday after meeting with the mayor of Flint, Michigan, to discuss the city’s lead water crisis. Asked for her thoughts on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ initiative to include more diverse members, Jada said it was a step in the right direction.
“Of course I think that’s necessary,” she told TMZ.
“But I’m hoping the Academy understands that it’s not just about having more black voters in order to give the connotation that black people vote black. But we all need to, as human beings, get to know each other, expand our education about everyone.”