Quincy Jones did not deliver a five-minute talk about the #OscarsSoWhite at the 88th Academy Awards as he previously suggested he would.
The musician and producer, who served as musical director of the 1971 Oscars, previously said he would use the opportunity to speak about diversity.
“They called me to go present with Pharrell and Common,” the musician, 82, said earlier this month. “When I’m back [in Los Angeles], I’m going to ask [them] to let me speak for five minutes on the lack of diversity. If not, I’m not going to [present].”
However, when he presented Ennio Morricone with the Oscar for best original score (alongside Pharrell Williams), he didn’t mention diversity at all and instead referenced working with Steven Spielberg on The Color Purple for which he composed the score.
This year’s host Chris Rock did address diversity in his opening monologue. “You’re damn right Hollywood’s racist,” he said. “It’s the 88th Academy Awards which means this whole no-black-nominees thing has happened at least 71 other times.”
Al Sharpton waded into the controversy earlier in the day as well, telling the Academy: “You are out of time.” He added: “We are not going to allow the Oscars to continue. This will be the last night of an all-white Oscars.”
