Chris Rock Asks People In Compton About Oscar Nominated Flicks & ‘Straight Outta Compton’

Chris Rock approached the #OscarsSoWhite controversy from a number of angles – including heading to Compton to see what Oscar-nominated movies the locals had seen.

Chris Rock In Compton

Polling black moviegoers in Compton, Rock soon learned that the movies nominated for Best Picture at the 2016 Oscars had gone largely unseen. One woman, who was asked about The Big Short, Spotlight and Bridge of Spies, was convinced that Rock was pulling her leg about their existence.

“Where are you getting these movies from?” the woman asked Rock with a laugh. “You’re making up stuff. You’re messing with me right?”

None of the black moviegoers could say they had seen Brooklyn or Trumbo either. However, most of the men and women of all ages that Rock spoke with had gone to the theater to see Straight Outta Compton. While Straight Outta Compton did earn a Best Original Screenplay nod, the film about rap group N.W.A. was largely missing from the awards race.

To close out the bit, Rock handed the moviegoers in Compton an Oscar trophy and asked them to share what they would say to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences about diversity in film if given the chance.

“This should not just be white [people] — it should be Asian, Hispanic, there’s so much talent out there of all races,” one man said. A woman offered, “You give black actors more awards because they deserve it and work hard for it just like anybody else. How ’bout that, America?”

Poking fun at the predominantly white nominees at this year’s Oscars, a white man quipped, “I’d like to thank the Academy for nominating another white person…”