BAFTA responds to #BaftaSoWhite controversy: 'Everyone looks for the snubs'

'Let’s not overshadow their achievements because they are exceptional'

Following the 2017 Bafta Award nominations announcement - with La La Land up for eleven awards - the hashtag #BaftaSoWhite began to circulate on Twitter.

In both the leading actor and actress categories, only white men and women were nominated: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep and Natalie Portman up for Leading Actress, and Andrew Garfield, Casey, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Gosling and Viggo Mortensen for Leading Actor.

The directing category was also dominated by white men, while Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins and Fences’ Denzel Washington were omitted.

Speaking to Deadline, Bafta Chief Exec Amanda Berry dismissed accusations that diversity was a problem, saying: “Everyone looks for the snubs and I want to remind people about the strong films. Let’s not overshadow their achievements because they are exceptional.”

Berry also addressed the controversy around Jenkins not being up for best director, saying: “Barry Jenkins is nominated in Best Film and although not for Director, he is nominated for Original Screenplay. I do not feel Barry has been snubbed by Bafta.”

Unlike the leading actor category, both supporting actor and actress categories were much more diverse, with Dev Patel, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris and Viola Davis all given nods. Ruth Negga is also up for the rising star award. Read the full list of nominations here.