By Cassie Zheng '26 and Alex Wang '26
The 2023 Oscars is a watershed for Hollywood's continued struggle to establish a racially and gender-diverse cast matching the manifold array of movie genres it pumps out each year. For the first time, the winners' list was dominated by actors of color, and the industry took a step towards becoming more inclusive. This success results from a long and arduous struggle, a fight against entrenched racism and institutional bias that have afflicted Hollywood for decades.
Hollywood was notorious for its exclusive and white-dominated culture. Actors of color were seldom given meaningful roles, and in many cases, they were relegated to stereotypical caricatures that were often offensive. The industry was plagued by a systemic bias that favored white actors, directors, and producers. The Oscars, too, were not immune from these biases. For years, the Academy Awards have been accused of being too white, with critics pointing out that the awards were often given to films that reinforced stereotypes and perpetuated racist narratives. In recent decades, movements and discussion topics such as #OscarsSoWhite gained significant global discussion.
The catalyst for this year's change stemmed from the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. Two prominent members of the film's cast of Asian descent received awards: Michelle Yeoh won Best Actress, while Ke Huy Quan took home Best Supporting Actor. The implications of this decision are limitless — in an industry where Asians were usually cast aside, bound to roles limited to 'nerd in the background' or 'exotic' prostitutes for rich white men, they never had the chance to stand in the spotlight. With the primary viewership of Hollywood dominated by Western populations, it is a remarkable step forward to think that people are willing to defy these stereotypes and accept new ways of Asian portrayal within media; this enabled the nomination of the film to contend within the Oscars in the first place. Hopefully, with the increased exposure the movie received in light of winning the Oscars, this is where the tides finally turn.
These inclusiveness initiatives are crucial, and that cannot be emphasized enough. White supremacy has significantly impacted society and industry, fostering unhealthy and unfavorable prejudices. The Academy is moving toward removing these obstacles and building a more just and equal society by being more inclusive.
Yet, with any decision of this scale, there were voices of dissent. The focal point of criticism was that these awards were chosen because of political pressure. It is understandable where these concerns arise from. With anti-Asian stigma at its peak in the aftermath of COVID- 19, it is believable that some people thought the Oscars were a way to deter further hate. However, these claims are completely unfounded. Hollywood, being the world's largest provider of media entertainment, is almost impossible to buy into bribes because the company knows that if discovered, its reputational harm will be devastating. With competition on the rise, they cannot risk falling behind. But furthermore, before the nominations are decided, candidates go through panel after panel of moviemaking experts, who discuss with one another and analyze each candidacy's strengths and weaknesses, before coming to a consensus. Given that so many people are involved, it is difficult to get so many to buy into the sinister scheme.
The 2023 Oscars were a much-needed victory for diversity in Hollywood, to sum up. These successes demonstrate the industry's attempts to diversify and become more inclusive, and they show that Hollywood is, at last, seeing the need for change. The fight against racism and institutional bias is far from over, but these wins are a step in the right direction. We hope that Hollywood will continue this path and that, in the future, we will see even more diverse and inclusive winners at the Oscars.
Senior Editor: Clara Li '24
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