Golden Globes Snubs Possibly Due To HFPA’s Lack Of Black Members: Report

The Los Angeles Times has published a scathing exposé that could possibly explain why there have been shocking snubs when the nominations for the Golden Globe awards were announced early this month.

In its report, the LA Times revealed that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does not have Black members within the organization. The group of 87 is responsible for nominating and selecting winners for the Golden Globes.

The identities of the HFPA members have remained a mystery for years as they often keep “low profiles.” In addition, membership is a bit tricky as only those who can produce write-ups for a foreign publication every year are qualified.

The ethics of the organization have long been questioned starting with an FCC investigation that even led to a broadcast ban from 1968-74, according to The Hollywood Reporter. And this year is no different, especially after the nominations for the 78th Golden Globes — happening on Feb. 28 — were announced on Feb. 3.

Many were shocked when Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” failed to secure a spot on the recognition list even though it received a lot of praise and has even become an award-season favorite. Shaka King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah” was also deprived of a nod.

Another shocker came when “Lovecraft Country” got nominated in the Best Television Drama Series category but none of its cast — Jurnee Smollett, Courtney B. Vance and Jonathan Majors — secured a nomination, the New York Post reported.

The HFPA has since responded to the report and confirmed that it indeed does not have Black members, but it has insisted that it is committed to addressing the issue. However, it did not provide a clear plan of action on the matter.

In a statement, the organization maintained that it does not have control over the outcome of the nominations by its members.

“We do not control the individual votes of our members. We seek to build cultural understanding through film and TV and recognize how the power of creative storytelling can educate people around the world to issues of race, representation and orientation,” the HFPA stated.

In 2015, Vulture did a background check on the members of the HFPA and managed to unearth mini bios for the active members at the time. The news outlet found that while some members were indeed legitimate journalists, others were pretty much invisible on the internet.