Mark Ruffalo is struggling with the decision of whether or not to support those stars boycotting this year’s Oscars over the lack of diversity recognised by this year’s nominations.
Mark, nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in the drama ‘Spotlight’, tells HuffPost UK he has every sympathy for those black stars speaking out for the lack of inclusion in the Academy Awards shortlist.
He says: “They have every right in the world to be screaming at the top of their lungs. Anyone would be doing it.”
Mark Ruffalo tells HuffPostUK he completely supports the campaign to draw attention to diversity
‘Spotlight’ explores the true story of how journalists from the Boston Globe newspaper uncovered a systemic cover-up of child abuse in the Catholic Church, and Mark explains that this subject means he remains split on whether to attend the ceremony.
“Will I go or not? I don’t know yet. I’m still waiting to see. Part of me thinks this film, in a way, is getting at this very paradigm, and so I’m carrying responsibility for another kind of victimised people. And I have responsibility to the filmmakers, the journalists (from the Globe, whose stories are told in the film). That’s kind of how I’m balancing it out.”
Mark Ruffalo (second left) has been Oscar-nominated for his role in 'Spotlight'
Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o has become the latest actor to call out the event on its lack of diverse representation in an Instagram post, and the Academy boss Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been forced to respond to the growing number of protests.
Whether he attends himself or not, Mark makes it clear he supports the wider cause behind the campaign.
“I think it brings attention to a real issue, and I think it’s important,” he tells HuffPostUK. “Whatever gets the conversation started… it’s not like the African community just today came up with this, it’s historic.
“It doesn’t just come out of the blue. People aren’t disgruntled because of no reason, look what’s happening in my country. The Black Lives Matter movement is an important historical movement and is a manifestation of an institutionalised racism in my country and a white privilege that we, as privileged white males, are not aware of.
“It’s like a fish in water, a fish doesn’t know what water is, they’ve been swimming in it their whole lives.
“What’s happening now is a mirror is being held up to us, that shows us a different picture of ourselves. And it’s not a nice picture…
“I’m a privileged white male, and I’m becoming more aware of that privilege.
“Martin Luther King said, It’s the good people that don’t do the right thing that are much more frustrating than the wrongdoers, so it’s a quandary, I’m really struggling with it, to be honest with you.”
'Spotlight' is in UK cinemas from Friday 29 January. Trailer below: