With the Academy Awards just days away, Hollywood would normally be consumed with the Oscars guessing game right now.
Is this the year five-time acting nominee Leonardo DiCaprio finally takes home an Oscar for his turn in “The Revenant”? Can Sylvester Stallone, long a critical punching bag, make a Rocky-style comeback for his performance in “Creed”?
And for once, there is genuine uncertainty over which film will win best picture.
OSCARS 2016: Full coverage
But this has been anything but a normal Oscar season.
At Hollywood cocktail parties, academy screenings and guild awards ceremonies, the chatter has been less about who’s up and who’s down in the Oscar campaign than about thorny questions of race and discrimination in the entertainment industry.
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Scenic artist Rick Roberts touches up the Oscar statue props that are slated for placement on the red carpet and at the Dolby Theatre amid preparations for Sunday’s Academy Awards in Hollywood.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2/11
Scenic artist Virginia Belloni puts the finishing touches on Oscar statues that will be placed on the red carpet and at the Dolby Theatre for Sunday’s Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3/11
Arrivals team Frank Roach, right, hoists an Oscar statue while Kevin Crowley spots him during preparations for Sunday’s Oscars in Hollywood.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 4/11
Scenic artist Dena D’ Angelo, right, and Virginia Belloni touch up a giant Oscar statue on the Oscars red carpet in Hollywood on Tuesday.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5/11
Pedestrians walk past crews working on the Oscars red carpet along Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Dolby Theatre.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6/11
Scenic artist Derek Medevic gets one of the many Oscar statue props in top condition ahead of Sunday’s Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7/11
Scenic artist Dena D’ Angelo, right, and Virginia Belloni work on a giant Oscar statue at the entrance to the Dolby Theatre amid preparations for Sunday’s Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 8/11
The Dolby Theatre is the site of the 88th Academy Awards coming up Sunday.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 9/11
Workers install signs in preparation for the Oscars in Hollywood.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 10/11
Workers set up the red carpet along Hollywood Boulevard in preparation for the Oscars in Hollywood.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 11/11
The Oscars red carpet is rolled out Wednesday morning in Hollywood as preparations continue for the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — faced with an all-white slate of acting nominees for the second year in a row — has struggled to navigate a controversy that has divided its membership and damaged its image. And now, many expect it will take some of the glitz off Sunday night’s Oscar ceremony.
“The whole thing just stinks,” said one academy member, an actress in her 60s who, like many others in Hollywood, did not want to speak publicly because of the red-hot sensitivity of the issue. “It’s bad for everyone.”
OSCARS 2016: List of nominees
The season got off to a turbulent start with the Jan. 14 announcement of Oscar nominations, in which no actors of color received any of the 20 nods.
Days later, amid escalating criticism and a resurgence of last year’s #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement that she was “both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion,” setting a somber tone for what is normally the industry’s most festive time of year.
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Writer-actor Sylvester Stallone, star of the Oscar-winning film “Rocky,” congratulates Peter Finch’s widow, Eletha, center, after Finch was posthumously awarded the lead actor award at the 1977 Academy Awards. Faye Dunaway, right, won for lead actress. (Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times)
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Jack Palance uses molar power to pull Oscar onstage at the 65th Academy Awards, as Billy Crystal enjoys the ride. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
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Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Jessica Lange at the Governors Ball in 1995. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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David Letterman with Oscar dog in 1995. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Susan Sarandon accepts her lead actress Oscar for “Dead Man Walking” in 1996. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Björk on the red carpet at the 73rd Academy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 7/44
Julia Roberts wins lead actress for “Erin Brockovich,” at the 73rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Adrien Brody surprises presenter Halle Berry with a kiss after he wins lead actor for “The Pianist” at the 75th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9/44
Charlize Theron wins lead actress for “Monster,” at the 76th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Jamie Foxx hugs Halle Berry as daughter Corinne looks on, after winning lead actor for “Ray,” during the 77th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenter Julia Roberts wipes her lipstick kiss off Clint Eastwood’s face as he accepts his Oscar for director for “Million Dollar Baby,” during the 77th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12/44
Jamie Foxx, who won lead actor for “Ray,” is congratulated by Charlize Theron onstage at the 77th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben Stiller reads the winner of the visual effects award during the 78th Academy Awards show at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Will Ferrell, left and Steve Carell present the Oscar for makeup during the 78th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 15/44
Reese Witherspoon kisses her then-husband, Ryan Phillippe, after hearing her name announced as the lead actress winner for “Walk the Line,” during the 78th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 16/44
Steven Spielberg snaps a photo of Ellen DeGeneres and Clint Eastwood while Beyoncé looks on during the 79th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 17/44
Leonardo DiCaprio congratulates Helen Mirren at the 79th Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Javier Bardem is embraced by his mother, Pilar, after winning supporting actor at the 80th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenter Helen Mirren and Daniel Day-Lewis onstage after he won lead actor at the 80th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Forest Whitaker escorts Marion Cotillard off the stage after presenting her the Oscar for lead actress at the 80th Academy Awards.
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Hugh Jackman opens the show at the 81st Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Ben Stiller and Natalie Portman present at the 81st Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Phillipe Petit balances the Oscar after winning for documentary feature for “Man on Wire” as James Marsh looks on at the 81st Academy Awards. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
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Seal, left, and Mickey Rourke during the 81st Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Ben Stiller, as an Avatar blue man, backstage before an award presentation at the 82nd Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Kathryn Bigelow backstage at the 82nd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Mauro Flore is congratualated for winning for cinematography for “Avatar” at the 82nd Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jeremy Renner, from left, Brian Geraghty and Anthony Mackie of “The Hurt Locker” rejoice after the film in which they co-starred won best picture at the 82nd Academy Awards. Screenwriter Mark Boal is at lower right. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Natalie Portman after winning lead actress for “Black Swan” at the 83rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Colin Firth and his wife, Livia Giuggioli, react after Tom Hooper wins best director for “The King’s Speech,” at the 83rd Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Jean Dujardin, after winning lead actor for “The Artist,” walks off the stage with Uggie the dog at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Muppet characters Kermit and Miss Piggy at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Presenters Rose Byrne, left, and Melissa McCarthy at the 84th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Sandra Bullock at the 84th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Sacha Baron Cohen and entourage on the red carpet at the 84th Academy Awards. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Jennifer Lawrence slips on the stairs when going up to the stage to receive her lead actress Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Channing Tatum dances with actress Charlize Theron as host Seth MacFarlane looks on during the 85th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Anne Hathaway watches as her Oscar for supporting actress is engraved at the 85th Academy Awards the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The cast and crew of best picture “Argo” at the 85th Academy Awards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Legendary actor Sidney Poitier and actress Angelina Jolie chat backstage. Jolie was the recipient of the 2014 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 41/44
Actors Liam Neeson and J.K. Simmons, right, chat backstage at the 87th Academy Awards after Simmons won a supporting actor prize for “Whiplash” in 2015.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 42/44
With “Star Wars” reintroduced to a new generation by “The Force Awakens” film, it seemed only fitting to have droids R2D2 and C3PO grace the Academy Awards stage once again.
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Brie Larson is ecstatic as she walks off the stage with the lead actress Oscar for her role in “Room.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 44/44
In a “Titanic” meetup, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet kiss backstage at the Oscars. DiCaprio won the lead actor Oscar for his role in “The Revenant.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) While past years have had their own Oscar controversies, they’ve generally been limited to a single film, say, the depiction of CIA interrogation techniques in “Zero Dark Thirty.” This year’s #OscarsSoWhite debate has struck at the heart of the Oscars themselves, making for a singularly awkward and often divisive season.
In interviews on awards show red carpets and elsewhere, nominees typically prepped to simply smile and give easily digestible sound bites have had to reckon instead with pointed questions about whether Hollywood has a race problem.
OSCARS 2016: #OscarsSoWhite controversy
“It isn’t just the Academy Awards,” Mark Ruffalo, a supporting actor nominee for the drama “Spotlight,” told the BBC. “The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism.”
Rather than a celebration of the film industry’s greatest artistic successes, this year’s Oscar season has become a painful referendum on its failure to reflect the world around it. As the #OscarsSoWhite debate has reverberated from late-night talk shows to the White House and spurred calls by some for a boycott of the show, the prevailing question for nominees has not been so much “What will you be wearing to the Oscars?” but “Will you actually be going?”
See what goes into catering the 2016 Oscars Governors Ball with Wolfgang Puck.
“As soon as this happened, I said, ‘Every single one of our nominees, whether it’s the director or a sound nominee, is going to be asked these questions [about diversity],’ ” said one awards consultant who has helped orchestrate Oscar campaigns for several films. “It’s just been a matter of preparing your nominees: ‘Be ready for it, and think about how you want to respond.’ ”
Faced with the prospect of a boycott that could potentially dent TV ratings, the academy took dramatic steps last month aimed at doubling the number of women and minorities in its ranks by 2020 — steps that drew praise from many while threatening to set off a bitter revolt among some older academy members who may find themselves purged from the voting rolls.
OSCARS 2016: Oscars quiz
At the annual Oscar nominees luncheon, typically one of the most upbeat events on the awards calendar, Boone Isaacs acknowledged this season’s charged and uneasy atmosphere. “This year, we all know there’s an elephant in the room,” Boone Isaacs said. “I have asked the elephant to leave.”
On the Oscar campaign trail, self-congratulation has taken a back seat to self-examination.
“The really positive thing is that this made the industry look inwards and ask, ‘Are we giving enough people opportunities?’ ” said veteran Oscar consultant Cynthia Swartz, who is overseeing the campaigns for best picture nominees “The Revenant” and “Room,” among other films. “That’s a good thing.”
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Hollywood’s top players are usually flawless on screen, but at the Academy Awards, they’re bound to say or do the unexpected. We’ve compiled a list of squirm-in-your-seat uncomfortable moments from past Oscar ceremonies. (From left: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times; Stan Honda / AFP / Getty Images; Sebastian Artz / Getty Images; Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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When Sean Penn opened the envelope to announce the best picture at the 87th Academy Awards, he asked, “Who gave this son of a ... his green card?” before revealing “Birdman” as the winner. In a year when the Oscars were being scrutinized for the lack of diversity among the nominees in the top categories, some felt Penn’s joke about director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s nationality fell flat.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3/20
After hosting the Emmys and the Tonys, jack-of-all-trades Neil Patrick Harris took over Oscar duties in 2015 with mixed results. In addition to butchering actors’ names and making an ill-advised joke about Edward Snowden’s absence, Harris strained the patience of even the most faithful viewers with a running gag involving a magic box holding his winners predictions.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/20
During a red carpet interview actress Melanie Griffith admitted she had not yet seen daughter Dakota Johnson’s performance in “Fifty Shades of Grey,” implying she was uncomfortable with some of the scenes she would see. When Griffith continued to refuse even the possibility of watching the film, a flustered Johnson responded “All right! You don’t have to see it!”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 5/20
John Travolta was tasked with introducing Idina Menzel to perform the Oscar-nominated (and later Oscar-winning) song “Let It Go” from “Frozen” at the 86th Academy Awards. Unfortunately, he ended up introducing “Adele Dazeem” in what would become the flub of the night. Ever the professional, Menzel still nailed her performance.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/20
Host Ellen DeGeneres rounded up high-profile celebs for a selfie that set records for retweets. What fans missed was Minnelli joining from behind, too short to be seen. Later, Minnelli tried to hug winner Lupita Nyong’o before some of Nyong’o’s cast members could. (Jason Merritt / Getty Images)
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The academy took a gamble by having Seth MacFarlane host the 85th awards. Some people thought the many moments that MacFarlane relied on jokes about race or women were inappropriate for the occasion, including his cringe-worthy opening number, “We Saw Your Boobs.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Jennifer Lawrence proved she is just as human as the rest of us when she tripped on the stairs on the way to accept her best actress Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. After making it to the stage to a standing ovation, she confronted the situation head-on by saying, “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell and that’s really embarrassing, but thank you.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 9/20
Sacha Baron Cohen walked the red carpet of the 84th Academy Awards in character as General Aladeen from his film “The Dictator.” He also carried a gold urn he claimed contained the ashes of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, which he dumped over Ryan Seacrest. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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The 84th Academy Awards hit a hurdle when producer Brett Ratner resigned and his planned host, Eddie Murphy, stepped down too. Billy Crystal seemed like a safe choice to host. But Crystal fell back on an old bit impersonating Sammy Davis Jr. and later made racially charged joke. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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James Franco and Anne Hathaway were paired to host the 83rd Academy Awards. Unfortunately, most people agreed the show was a bust. Hathaway gave an honest effort, and even looked like she was trying to overcompensate for Franco, who at best could be described as not mentally present. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston ended their five-year marriage in 2005 amid reports that linked Pitt romantically to Angelina Jolie. The 81st Academy Awards was the first time all three were publicly present in the same room. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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When Glenn Hansard and Markéta Irglová won the award for original song for “Falling Slowly” at the 80th Academy Awards, both were overcome with emotions. Hansard took the mike first. When Irglová leaned in to give her own thanks, the show cut her off. Host Jon Stewart later called her back. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Ryan Seacrest wanted to interview Laura Linney and Jennifer Garner, but Gary Busey was not having it. Busey first called out to Seacrest, delaying the start of the interview. Later, Busey surprised Garner with a hug and a kiss on the neck. (Stan Honda / AFP / Getty Images)
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The 77th Academy Awards assigned stand-up comedian Chris Rock to the hosting post, foreshadowing a night of ruder-than-usual digs at celebrities for laughs. Take this for example: “Who is Jude Law?” Perhaps actor Sean Penn thought that Law forgot his armor, stepping onstage to defend his peer. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Apparently, when overcome with happiness, actor Adrien Brody’s primal instinct tells him to latch his lips onto the pretty lady who gave him the news. Brody took everyone by surprise (especially Berry) when he kissed her after winning a lead actor Oscar for “The Pianist.” (Brian vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Most winners don’t even have time to finish their thank-yous before the cut-off music switches on, but filmmaker Michael Moore managed to squeeze in a whole political rant after snagging a best documentary win for “Bowling for Columbine.” The boos and cheers were very, very audible. (Lee Celano / AFP / Getty Images)
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s skimpy 2002 Oscar outfit seemed to be missing some vital components. (Was she not cold? Look at how bundled up everyone else is outside the Vanity Fair after-party.) In later years, the actress admitted that she wished her bits were covered better, citing the mistake as one of her worst red carpet looks. (Sebastian Artz / Getty Images)
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That Oscar trophy wasn’t the only one smooched by Angelina Jolie’s famous lips at the 72nd Academy Awards. The actress planted a kiss on older brother James Haven with a force that set rumor-mongers atwitter with word of an incestuous relationship. It didn’t help that the excited Jolie launched into her acceptance speech for lead role in “Girl, Interrupted” with an ode to the sibling: “I’m in shock, and I’m so in love with my brother right now,” she giggled. “He just held me and said he loved me and I know he’s so happy for me.” (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
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To open the 1989 Academy Awards, an off-key Rob Lowe sang a duet with actress Eileen Bowman as Snow White as part of an elaborately hokey musical medley that lasted more than 10 minutes and left seated stars such as Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey Jr. and Sigourney Weaver scratching their heads in confusion. How bad was it? Disney filed a lawsuit against the academy for unauthorized use of its character.
(Randy Leffingwell / Los Angeles Times) Still, while some nominees have navigated the diversity controversy with relative ease, for others the injection of the hot-button topic of race into Oscar season has created a minefield. When supporting actress nominee Charlotte Rampling suggested in a French radio interview that the backlash was “racist to whites,” her comments went viral and she soon walked them back.
At the Golden Globes, Stallone, a supporting actor nominee for “Creed,” neglected to thank that film’s black director, Ryan Coogler, and star, Michael B. Jordan, in his televised acceptance speech. Though Stallone corrected the snub after the telecast went to commercial and sheepishly apologized, the omission was seen by some as playing into this season’s narrative of clueless white privilege.
At the nominees luncheon, Stallone told reporters he had asked Coogler whether he should attend the Oscars or not. “He said, ‘I want you to go,’” Stallone said. “That’s the kind of guy he is. He wanted me to stand up for the film.”
Coogler himself won’t be at the Osars, however. A director with a nominated actor in the race typically would attend the ceremony, but Coogler will instead join director Ava DuVernay — who many felt was snubbed for “Selma” last year — and others in Flint, Mich., for a benefit aimed at supporting that city’s residents as they suffer through an ongoing water crisis. (Coogler has said the timing is coincidental.)
Some involved in this year’s Oscar campaign feel the #OscarsSoWhite firestorm has been unfair to this year’s crop of nominees, putting their achievements under a vague shadow. At the same time, many older rank-and-file academy members harbor their own feelings of anger, arguing they’ve been wrongly tarred with a brush of racism. Some believe the academy overreacted and created an unnecessary sense of crisis.
“A crisis? Syria is a crisis. Donald Trump is a crisis,” said one longtime academy member, who asked to remain anonymous so as not to be seen publicly criticizing the academy’s leadership. “This is not a crisis. It’s a fixable problem of perception.”
Longtime Oscar watchers say some particularly aggrieved academy members may abstain from voting this year or sit out the ceremony, which will be hosted by comedian Chris Rock, as a form of quiet protest.
“I’ve heard several say they’re not going,” one academy member told The Times. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to be in the room when Chris Rock tries to be funny about something that is not funny.”
But as difficult to navigate and contentious as it has been at times, many in Hollywood — this year’s nominees included — think this year’s #OscarsSoWhite firestorm ultimately has been both healthy and necessary.
“I think when it started off, it was a little charged,” Tom McCarthy, director of best picture nominee “Spotlight,” told The Times at the Directors Guild Awards. “Now I think it’s come into focus a little bit and we’re saying, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to make changes. We all know that. What can each of us individually do and how do we own that?’ It shouldn’t be a negative thing. It should be a positive thing.”
As Sunday’s telecast draws closer, the conversation surrounding the awards race has inevitably started to shift toward prognostication of winners and losers. There are, after all, office Oscar pools to be entered, and the fact is, unlike in many past years, there is quite a bit of uncertainty about the eventual outcome at least for the biggest prize, best picture, with most seeing a three-way race among “Spotlight,” “The Revenant” and “The Big Short.”
Still, when Rock takes the stage at the Dolby Theatre, the #OscarsSoWhite controversy is certain to be on the minds of those both inside the room and watching at home. “Normally, the Oscars are just the Oscars,” said Todd Boyd, professor of cinema and media studies at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. “But this year they have come to stand in for this larger debate about race in society.”
How exactly Rock will wade into that debate is anyone’s guess. But as a stand-up comic, actor and filmmaker, tackling the elephant in the room head-on has long been his stock in trade.
“I think Chris is the perfect host for this year,” said one awards consultant. “Hopefully, that energy and that irreverence that he brings will kick things off and everyone will enjoy the show for the celebration of achievement in film it really is and not worry about: ‘Are we being politically correct?’ If those first 20 minutes are cooking, we’ll all be fine.”
Times staff writers Amy Kaufman and Glenn Whipp contributed to this report.
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