This image released by Focus Features shows Alicia Vikander in a scene from “The Danish Girl.” Vikander was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress on Jan. 14 for her role in the film. The 88th annual Academy Awards will take place on Feb. 28 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Focus Features via AP)
Re: “2016 Oscar nominations prove disconnect between Hollywood, real life,” Jan. 15 entertainment commentary.
Much is being made by some of the preponderance of white nominees for this year’s Academy Awards, but the question should be: “So what?” All award shows are, at heart, simply popularity contests and they naturally reflect the culture and biases of the voters. Would one truly expect a vegan to select meatloaf as “best dinner”? Regrettably, the answer is to establish categories for whichever group feels slighted. “Best Elderly Leading Lady (or Gentleman) in a Romantic Comedy or Action Flick” or “Best Actor Faking a Foreign Accent,” perhaps? Of course slicing the pie thinner and thinner diminishes the value of the awards themselves, as ultimately everybody gets a trophy.
Harry Puncec, Lakewood
So writer John Wenzel thinks Hollywood snubbed black actors from getting Oscar nominations. Really? I was always under the impression that Oscar nominations were given to actors who deserved to be nominated because of the quality of their acting performance.
Ellen Pesavento, Aurora
This letter was published in the Jan. 19 edition.
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