Despite a career that spans over four decades, two Academy Awards, and nine Oscar nominations, Denzel Washington has once again been overlooked by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), this time for his critically acclaimed performance in Gladiator II.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, founded in 1947, is one of the most prestigious organizations in global entertainment. However, it has faced mounting criticism in recent years for its lack of diversity and repeated snubbing of prominent actors of color.
This year, Washington’s not being nominated has reignited those conversations. His portrayal of Macrinus in Gladiator II earned rave reviews. Despite this, Washington failed to make BAFTA’s final list of six nominees for Best Supporting Actor, even though he had initially been longlisted.
Washington being snubbed by BAFTA is not new. The British Academy overlooked him when he portrayed the iconic civil rights leader in Malcolm X (1992), the corrupt detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day (2001), opposite Viola Davis in Fences (2016), and as the Shakespearean character in The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021).
The controversy surrounding BAFTA’s history of overlooking actors of color has been loud. In 2020, the organization faced backlash when no actors of color were nominated in any of the acting categories. This led to changes to its voting system, which now includes a hybrid jury-voter model designed to increase inclusivity.
However, these changes have not fully addressed the systemic issues.
Photo Credit: Paramount
