Jamie Foxx Says #OscarsSoWhite Is No Big Deal

Jamie Foxx Says #OscarsSoWhite Is No Big Deal

While Black Hollywood weighs the pros and cons of boycotting the biggest awards night in cinema…Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx is busy being unbothered. While speaking at this past weekend’s American Black Film Festival, Jamie joked that Will Smith — whose wife spearheaded the Oscars boycott movement — needed to just brush up his acting chops if he wants an award so bad…

Via MailOnline:

Speaking at the American Black Film Festival Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday, the Academy Award-winning actor make a joke about how he doesn’t get ‘what’s the big deal’ with Smith’s Oscar boycott.

‘All these Oscar talks, I don’t even trip about that. I mean, what’s the big deal? I was sitting at home with my Oscar, like ‘What’s all the hubbub?’ Foxx said at Sunday night’s event, as he was introducing producer Will Packer for the Distinguished ABFF Alumni Award.

‘My friend said, “Are you mad?” “Um, kind of, but not really,”‘ Foxx continued. ‘I started calling Denzel [Washington], and we just Instagrammed our Oscars together.’

He also made fun of Smith’s Nigerian accent in the film Concussion, for which the 47-year-old actor only received a Golden Globes nomination of the three major American award ceremonies.

Foxx finished his bit by calling out ‘#WhatsTheBigDeal?’ and ‘#ActBetter’ – with the audience reportedly roaring with laughter.

But on a slightly more serious note, Jamie pointed out how once upon a time all we wanted was a chance…so today’s actors actually don’t have it quite so rough.

As he changed the subject to acting legend Sidney Poitier, Foxx explained whey he doesn’t care so much for the #OscarsSoWhite movement.

‘I was with Sidney Poitier just a couple weeks ago, and in 1963 all he asked for was an opportunity to act,’ Foxx said. ‘That’s all we have to do, opportunity. If you turn the camera on and say “OK . . . win an award . . . and action,” we’ll all have taken, like, 10 steps back. It’s all about the art. Who cares about anything else?’

Interesting. Of course when you already have awards to dust off, it gives you a different perspective…

WENN / Splash