Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx is speaking out about the proposed boycott of the Academy Awards, which are set to air this Sunday.
While on stage at the American Black Film Festival Awards in Beverly Hills over the weekend, Foxx reportedly joked about how he doesn’t get “what’s the big deal” with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s proposed boycott of the Oscars ceremony.
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“All these Oscar talks, I don’t even trip about that. I mean, what’s the big deal? I was sitting at home with my Oscar, like ‘What’s all the hubbub?'” Foxx said.
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“My friend said, ‘Are you mad?’ ‘Um, kind of, but not really,'” he continued. “I started calling Denzel [Washington], and we just Instagrammed our Oscars together.”
Foxx later reportedly made a joke in reference to Smith’s Nigerian accent in Concussion.
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Foxx wrapped up his time on stage by calling out “#WhatsTheBigDeal?” and “#ActBetter” — with the audience reportedly roaring with laughter.
The Ray star then revealed why he doesn’t feel passionate about the #OscarsSoWhite movement.
“I was with Sidney Poitier just a couple weeks ago, and in 1963 all he asked for was an opportunity to act,” Foxx said. “That’s all we have to do, opportunity. If you turn the camera on and say ‘OK … win an award … and action,’ we’ll all have taken, like, 10 steps back. It’s all about the art. Who cares about anything else?'”
Neither Will Smith nor Jada Pinkett-Smith were in the audience for the ABFF Awards, which were taped Sunday night.