FFN_Ruffalo_M_FFUK_012016_51951568

As we discussed yesterday, Mark Ruffalo was in London to premiere and support Spotlight. He’s already gotten BAFTA and Oscar nominations for his work in the film, and many think that Spotlight is inching ahead of The Revenant in the Best Picture race. Ordinarily, it would be a great year for Ruffalo. But while in London, he was asked in interview after interview about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and whether he’ll boycott the awards show. He spoke to the Press Association on Wednesday (which I covered yesterday) about the issue, and I thought he came across like a thoughtful and compassionate ally. Then on Thursday, Ruffalo spoke to BBC Breakfast about the situation, and he seemed to indicate that he was thinking about boycotting.

Charlie Stayt broached the topic by asking for Mark Ruffalo’s thoughts on the state of “black representation” within this year’s crop of nominees.

“It isn’t just the Academy Awards,” Ruffalo, 48, said. “The entire American system is rife with white privilege racism. It goes into our justice system.”

The Foxcatcher actor added that he’s been thinking about joining Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Spike Lee in boycotting the awards show as well.

“I’m weighing it, yes. That’s where I’m at right now,” Ruffalo said. “I woke up in the morning thinking, ‘What is the right way to do this?’ Because if you look at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, what he was saying was the good people who don’t act are much worse than the wrongdoers who are purposely not acting and don’t know the right way.”

[From Us Weekly]

After that prompted a rash of headlines claiming “Mark Ruffalo considers boycotting the Oscars,” he took to his Twitter to clear up his point of view:

To clear up any confusion. I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism. #Spotlight

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 21, 2016

I do support the Oscar Ban movement’s position that the nominations do not reflect the diversity of our community.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 21, 2016

The Oscar Ban movement reflects a larger discussion about racism in the criminal justice system.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 21, 2016

Correction. I hope the Oscar Ban movement opens the way for my peers to open their hearts to the #BlackLivesMatter movement as well.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 21, 2016

First point: “I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism” is inadvertently hilarious, because it sounds like he’s supporting the victims of good journalism. Second point: I do think it’s a little bit white-savior-y for Mark Ruffalo to be like “it’s about #BlackLivesMatter and criminal justice reform too!” But even then, I can’t hate. He’s not trying to be the face of a movement, he’s just trying to be a proactive and supportive ally. And honestly, as we’ve seen time and time again, Academy voters really are that out of touch and many of them don’t see a correlation with criminal justice, #BlackLivesMatter, or #OscarsSoWhite.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
FFN_Ruffalo_M_FFUK_012016_51951566
FFN_Ruffalo_M_FFUK_012016_51951567
FFN_Ruffalo_M_FFUK_012016_51951568