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Jamie Foxx isn’t bothered by the diversity controversy surrounding thisyear’s Oscars. The Academy Award-winning actor poked fun at the #OscarsSoWhitedebate on Sunday during the American Black Film Festival Awards.
“All these Oscar talks, I don’t even trip about that,” he said before introducing producer Will Packer for the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award. “I mean, what’s the big deal? I was sitting at home with my Oscar, like‘What’s all the hubbub?"
Photo: Getty Images for BET
Jamie, who won his first Oscar back in 2005 for his performance in Ray, continued,“My friend said, ‘Are you mad?’ ‘Um, kind of, but not really - I startedcalling Denzel [Washington], and we just Instagrammed our Oscars together.”
While stars Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are boycotting the upcoming award show because of the lack of diversity, Jamie toldlaughing audience members at the ABFF awards, "#WhatsTheBigDeal?” and “#ActBetter.”
On stage, the 48-year-old also recalled a recent conversation he shared with the firstAfrican-American to win best actor at the Oscars, Sidney Poitier. He revealed, “Iwas with Sidney Poitier just a couple weeks ago, and in 1963 all he asked forwas an opportunity to act. That's all we have to do, opportunity. If you turnthe camera on and say ‘OK . . . win an award . . . and action,’ we'll all havetaken, like, 10 steps back. It's all about the art. Who cares about anythingelse?”
Aside from Jamie, a slew of other celebrities have voiced their thoughts on the 2016 Academy Awards. Spotlight actor Mark Ruffalo revealed that he is considering boycotting the awards show along with Will and Jada. He said, "It isn’t just the Academy Awards. The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism. It goes into our justice system.” Oscar winner George Clooney said, “We're moving in the wrong direction,” while best actress winner, Lupita Nyong'o admitted she is "disappointed by the lack of inclusion in this year's Academy Awards."