Issa Rae appeared to draw attention to the lack of women up for Best Director at the 2020 Oscars as she read out the nominees.
Martin Scorsese, Todd Phillips, Sir Sam Mendes, Bong Joon-ho and Quentin Tarantino are all in the running for the prestigious trophy at the 92nd Academy Awards next month.
Rae, who revealed this year’s nominees on Monday (January 13) alongside John Cho, announced the Best Director list in full before adding: “Congratulations to those men.”
She then left a significant pause and raised her eyebrows before continuing with the nominations broadcast.
Twitter users were quick to pick up on Rae’s subtle but pointed statement, with many suggesting that the actress and writer’s remark summed up their disappointment.
Her words recalled Natalie Portman’s infamous swipe at the all-male list of Best Director nominees at the Golden Globes back in 2018, when she introduced the category with: “Here are the all male nominees.”
The Baftas and the Golden Globes also failed to nominate any women directors in the Best Director category, despite critically acclaimed releases from the likes of Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers) and Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood).
The Academy last nominated a woman for Best Director in 2018, when Gerwig appeared on the shortlist for her directorial debut Lady Bird. She eventually lost to Guillermo Del Toro.
Just five women have been nominated for Best Director in the history of the Academy Awards: Gerwig, Kathryn Bigelow, Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion and Lina Wertmuller.
In 2009, Bigelow made history as the first ever female Best Director winner, taking home the trophy for Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker.
The Oscars will take place in Los Angeles on February 9.
