Hollywood Foreign Press Association commits to address diversity concerns
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) released a statement last night acknowledging the criticism levelled at the 87-member organisation for not having black members and said they were “committed to change” and that these concerns will be “addressed” in the Golden Globes presentation ceremony on Sunday, 28 February.
The statement from HFPA read: “We are fully committed to ensuring our membership is reflective of the communities around the world who love film, tv, and the artists inspiring and educating them. We understand that we need to bring in Black members, as well as members from other underrepresented backgrounds, and we will immediately work to implement an action plan to achieve these goals as soon as possible.”
The voting body for the Golden Globes is made up of 87 members, none of whom are black, according to a recent report in the Los Angeles Times.
Following the publication of the damning report, celebrities and netizens criticised the association using the hashtag #TimesUpGlobes on social media.
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, co-producer of the recent Netflix hit “The White Tiger”, tweeted: “Old news. New energy”, sharing a picture that read “Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Not a single black member out of 87” alongside a cracked Golden Globes trophy.
The picture was also shared by writer and producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy), director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), actress Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia) and actor Rizwan Manji (Outsourced).
The 78th Golden Globe Awards is set to take place on Sunday, 28 February 8pm ET/5pm PT/1 AM GMT (Monday).