Cuba Gooding Jr (@Cuba_Gooding)(@CubaGooding8).: 'Oscars backlash will make people think'

Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. believes the 'all-white' controversy surrounding this year's (16) Academy Awards nominees will make voters think a lot harder about who to choose in the future.
Many film fans have been left upset by the fact no African-American actor or director has been nominated by the Academy for top honours for the second year in a row, and Jada Pinkett-Smith and director Spike Lee have both announced they will be boycotting the ceremony as a result.
Having won a Best Supporting Actor gong in 1997 for his role in Jerry Maguire, Cuba has been one of the few African-Americans to achieve success at the Oscars, and he felt inclined to share his opinion on the current #OscarsSoWhite backlash.
"You want it to be diverse and you want the work to show,” he told Variety. “I wanted (N.W.A. biopic) Straight Outta Compton to get something, but, you know, it’s this conversation that makes people think harder when the nominations come around for next year. I think the more members of colour that they put in - the minorities - the better."
The Academy members have been targeted for their latest list of nominees, and even this year's host, Chris Rock, has described the ceremony as "The White BET Awards", but Cuba, 48, remains hopeful the voters will make amends in future years, as his peers continue to make excellent movies.
"A lot of these films - The Butler and Red Tails that I was in, Selma, another one that I was in, these are black stories that the audience for the history of African-Americans and our contribution is growing," he continued. "And I think the more projects like that, of quality, after a while, you can’t deny it. Hopefully.”
The 88th Academy Awards will take place on 28 February (16).