February 5, 2016
[WATCH] Kerry Washington and Quincy Jones Presenting at the Oscars
After outrage over diversity issues with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the controversy behind Spike Lee’s boycott of the awards, Jada Pinkett Smith’s viral call to action and #OscarsSoWhite, the lineup of presenters who will appear at the upcoming Oscars is becoming more and more diverse.
[Related: #OscarsSoWhite But GLAAD Awards Embrace Diversity in LGBT Nominees]
According to reports, updates have unveiled that Quincy Jones and Kerry Washington have been added to the presenter roster, joining African American entertainers previously announced to take part in the ceremonies, including Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Hart, Benicio del Toro, The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams.
Jones served as musical director of the 1971 Oscar ceremonies and received the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995, and reportedly said during a Jan. 20 NATPE convention, “There are two ways to do it. You can boycott it or you can fix it.”
Pinkett Smith and her Hollywood heavyweight spouse, Will, said they still won’t be attending  this year, and powerhouse director Spike Lee plans to skip the event as well.
Watch below as the Concussion star talks about why he and his wife are boycotting:
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In a statement released Monday, Oscar producers Reginald Hudlin and David Hill said, “These artists have enriched the international moviegoing experience with a range of memorable work from the comic to the profound. In the process, they have won over millions of fans, and we count ourselves among them.â€