Margot Robbie Slams Golden Globes’ Response To Having No Black Members

Getty

Margot Robbie is unimpressed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) attempt to address concerns about its lack of diversity and has publicly called out the organisation, which is responsible for the Golden Globes.

Scandal engulfed the awards show this past week as the Los Angeles Times reported instances of self-dealing and ethical violations within the group, which currently includes no Black members. This year’s nomination pool reflected the lack of diversity with snubs to several projects including ‘Judas and the Black Messiah,’ ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ and ‘I May Destroy You.’ 

Some HFPA leaders ― President Ali Sar, Vice President Helen Hoehne and former President Meher Tatna ― took the stage at Sunday’s ceremony to respond. 

“We recognise we have our own work to do,” Helen began. “Just like in film and television, Black representation is vital. We must have Black journalists in our organisation.”

Australian actor Margot, who was at the event at the Beverly Hilton hotel to present an award, used her Instagram platform to hold the members to account. 

“Real change means not just standing on stage and saying it, but actually doing it,” she wrote. “We look forward to the HFPA staying true to their promise.”

While Globes hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler mocked the HFPA in their opening monologue and actor Sacha Baron Cohen gave a name-check to “the all-white Hollywood Foreign Press”, Time’s Up was not laughing. 

The social change organisation’s president and CEO, Tina Tchen, said the HFPA’s on-stage response was “cosmetic” and shows “a fundamental lack of understanding of the depth of the problems”.

Tina continued in the letter: “The problems with the HFPA cannot be addressed simply by a search for new members who meet your self-declared membership criteria. … Change only occurs from an awareness of larger cultural problems, as well as a long-term commitment to systemic change.”

Other members of the HFPA remain a mystery as their names aren’t publicly available, but the group’s website says it’s a nonprofit made up of about 90 international journalists based in Southern California.

The LA Times reported some members are wealthy socialites while others work at obscure publications and have minimal journalistic experience.