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"The problem is not with the Oscars. How many black films are produced every year?"

Viola Davis also revealed that she won't be attending the 2016 awards ceremony, but she has a different reason.

Viola Davis

The 2016 Academy Awards nominations were announced on Thursday, January 14, 2015, featuring all white actors in the four acting categories.

The obvious lack of diversity led to some and pressure on Chris Rock to step down as host.

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“The problem is not with the Oscars, the problem is with the Hollywood movie-making system.  How many black films are being produced every year? How are they being distributed? The films that are being made, are the big-time producers thinking outside of the box in terms of how to cast the role? Can you cast a black woman in that role? Can you cast a black man in that role?”

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“The problem isn’t even our pay,” she also said. “You could probably line up all the A-list black actresses out there [and] they probably don’t make what one A-list white woman makes in one film. That’s the problem. You can change the Academy, but if there are no black films being produced, what is there to vote for?”

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On boycotting the awards, the actress revealed she would be absent, but because she would be on vacation. ” Cause I’m gonna be on vacation,”  she said.

On Rock stepping down as host, she said;

“Like I said, the Oscars are not really the issue. It’s a symptom of a much greater disease. But if he does, I hope he takes it as an opportunity to make a statement, a social statement about change. It’s 2016.”

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Academy president "Of course I am disappointed, but [it is] not to take away the greatness (of the films nominated). This has been a great year in film, it really has across the board. You are never going to know what is going to appear on the sheet of paper until you see it. We have got to speed it up.”

In 2015, Davis became the first black actress to undefinedfor her role in How to Get Away with Murder.

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