"I'm ashamed to say that I'm part of the problem."
Joaquin Phoenix berated systemic racism in the film industry, even while he was accepting a BAFTA award for best leading actor.
Joaquin Phoenix berated systemic racism in the film industry, even while he was accepting a BAFTA award for best leading actor.
Category
đ„
Short filmTranscript
00:00We have to really do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism.
00:06I think that it is the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit
00:14from a system of oppression to be the ones that dismantle it.
00:18So that's on us.
00:21I feel very honored and privileged to be here, but I have to say that I also feel conflicted
00:31because so many of my fellow actors that are deserving don't have that same privilege.
00:38I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you're not welcome
00:44here.
00:45I think that's the message that we're sending to people that have contributed so much to
00:51our medium and our industry and in ways that we benefit from.
00:56I don't think anybody wants a handout or preferential treatment, although that's what we give ourselves
01:03every year.
01:04I think that people just want to be acknowledged and appreciated and respected for their work.
01:10This is not a self-righteous condemnation because I'm ashamed to say that I'm part of
01:15the problem.
01:16I have not done everything in my power to ensure that the sets I work on are inclusive,
01:22but I think that it's more than just having sets that are multicultural.
01:26I think that we have to really do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism.
01:37I think that it is the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit
01:45from a system of oppression to be the ones that dismantle it.
01:49So that's on us.