Scarlett Johansson denounced the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in a statement on Saturday, and urged her colleagues to join her in stepping back from engaging with the group and the Golden Globes, its annual awards show. She referenced previous encounters with the organization "that bordered on sexual harassment" and said the HFPA "was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein."
The HFPA has been under considerable scrutiny this year, as increasing numbers have discovered its startling lack of diversity and have learned about accusations of ethics violations against the famously secretive group.
Johansson, a five-time Golden Globe nominee, joins fellow A-lister and Marvel co-star Mark Ruffalo, who issued a statement on Friday that he "cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of [a Golden Globe]." He added that "now is the time to step up and right the wrongs of the past."
Additionally, Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos said he we would cease all activities with the HFPA until more substantial changes were made. Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke quickly followed suit, saying that her company was also waiting to see the awards group enact reform.
These declarations from Hollywood heavy hitters are, no doubt, meant to add pressure to a forthcoming vote to change its bylaws. The decision to have the upcoming vote was agreed upon by a wide margin on Thursday, as was initiating the group's promised first steps toward addressing its lack of diversity. After 75 of 86 members voted yes, the organization will now hire a search firm to bring in a new CEO and a Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, and create a hotline to report conduct violations. It will also begin immediate outreach for new members, with an aim of adding 20 members over the next year and increasing the total amount by 50 percent in the next two years. The HFPA currently has zero Black members.
Johansson's Saturday statement got into the nitty gritty, saying that "as an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows." It continued, "in the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences. The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole."
In early March, a tidal wave initiated by Ava DuVernay, J.J. Abrams, Sterling K. Brown, and others led to dozens of Hollywood notables voicing their displeasure with the HFPA on social media.
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