Filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry says he doesn’t “have an opinion either way” regarding the latest #OscarsSoWhite controversy. But he still believes that “Hustlers” star Jennifer Lopez and “The Farewell” actress Awkwafina deserved 2020 Academy Awards nominations for their latest roles.
“I think that Jennifer Lopez should have been recognized. I think that Awkwafina should have been recognized, absolutely. But I don’t have an opinion of it either way,” Perry, 50, told “CBS This Morning” on Wednesday while promoting his new movie, “A Fall From Grace,” premiering Friday on Netflix.
The Oscars were scolded Monday for some notable shuns in the nominations field, including no acting nominations for either the cast members of Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” and “Dolemite Is My Name” star Eddie Murphy, 58.
But Perry, who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last fall, did heap praise on Netflix for embracing diversity. He shared his feelings about a face-to-face meeting with the streamer when he pitched his film about an otherwise law-abiding woman who confesses to killing her husband.
“One of the things that I loved about it is I walked into the room to have my first meeting with them, and I’ve never seen that kind of diversity in Hollywood sitting around the table. Women, every race, every sex, all represented around the table,” Perry said. “Big ups to Netflix just for the diversity I saw when I walked in that room.”
Perry himself pushed for inclusion in his upcoming movie by casting Crystal R. Fox (“Big Little Lies”) as the main character — her first leading role ever despite four decades working as an actress.
“Oh, she is extremely talented and hadn’t had that chance,” said Perry of the 56-year-old actress. “This woman can act in scenes with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis and Meryl Streep, she is that good.”
Perry, who created and starred in the popular “Madea” movie franchise, says that attitudes in Hollywood are “changing very slowly” about diversifying roles for people of color, but adds that it’s important that production studio owners like himself push for change to happen.
“I think it’s going to take more people like me who are taking the bull by the horns, entrepreneurs, setting up their own shops to be able to give more opportunities to people like this who deserve it,” he said.
“Build your own table so you don’t have to keep asking people to sit at theirs. I think that the Academy has tried to invite more people of color into the voting process,” said Perry. “We’ll see what happens.”