Long before #OscarsSoWhite, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was embroiled in a similar controversy after Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film, “The Color Purple,” received 11 Oscar nominations but took zero golden statues. The Hollywood-Beverly Hills branch of the NAACP called it a “blackout” and a “slap in the face.”
Margaret Avery was among those nominated, getting a nod for her supporting role as blues singer Shug Avery (the Oscar ended up going to Angelica Huston for “Prizzi’s Honor”). “The Color Purple,” which also starred Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey, was based on a bestselling novel and spanned 40 years in the life of Celie (Goldberg), a black woman in the South who survives sexual abuse and bigotry.
Avery, who now stars on BET’s “Being Mary Jane,” became a member of the academy as a result of her nomination. Ahead of Sunday night’s Academy Awards, she spoke with The Times in her Hollywood Hills home to discuss the controversies surrounding “The Color Purple,” #OscarsSoWhite and the academy’s latest efforts to improve diversity.
For the complete article, visit LATimes.com/Entertainment/Movies.
