The Oscars Might be White, but the Oscar Statue Is Mexican

Thursday was not a good day for so-called “colored people” in the U.S., as the Oscar nominations were announced showing — once again — that the Academy is intent on nominating mostly white people. Best Actor in a leading role category? All white. Best Actor in a Supporting role category? All white. Best Actress in a leading role category? All white. Best Actress in a Supporting role category? All white. The category for Best Director is mostly white and all male, but includes Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which ironically is known in his native Mexico as ‘El Negro.’

Anyhow… the nominations raised the ire of many so-called colored people, and quickly made the #OscarSoWhite hashtag a trending topic (TT) on Twitter for the second year in a row.

I understand why this has so many [colored] people up in arms, but at least Mexicans should Keep Calm and remember that while the Academy, its judges and its nominees are whiter than white, the Oscar statue was actually modeled after Emilio ‘El Indio’ Fernández, a Mexican director and actor who used to live in Hollywood in the 1920s.

And while many people still dispute that story, I believe it’s true and will remain true as far as this blog is concerned.

Oh, and incidentally, El Indio Fernández was actually acquainted with my mom, who was Mexican although not really “colored,” but that’s a whole other story.