#OscarsSoWhite Q&A: 3 Takes panel tackles race in Hollywood

This year, the Academy Awards have been overshadowed by allegations racism is playing a role in the nominations.

It's led to the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

• Hollywood diversity woes loom over Academy Awards
• Hollywood diversity study says TV, film industry 'whitewashed'

Windsor Morning host Tony Doucette discussed the issue with weekly 3 Takes panelists Missy Sauro, Sinan Sbahi and Sarah Mushtaq.

Below is some of what they had to say about the issue.

You can listen to their entire interview in the media player:

Windsor Morning10:313 Takes on #OscarsSoWhite

The Academy Awards are this Sunday night. And ever since the nominations came out, there's been a flurry of controversy over the colour of the nominees' skin. We discussed it with Windsor Morning regulars Missy Sauro, Sinan Sbahi and Sarah Mushtaq.

Do you think this criticism is justified?

Sinan Sbahi: Yes and no. I definitely think the nominees and the [Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] itself need more diversity, more than simply white men. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a matter of racism. I think it's simply a matter of the academy needing more diversity

Missy Sauro: Yes, you need more diversity in the academy, but I think the nominees are a result of producers creating box office hits based on actors and actresses that are going to bring the biggest return on investment.

Sarah Mushtaq: I think an aspect of it is structural racism. The structure of Hollywood, and so many other organizations and areas, are made to benefit certain groups of people we see things very much through a colour lens and not necessarily as who is the best actor for the roll.

How effective is the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite?

Sinan: That's how I first heard of this issue last year. I would say it is absolutely effective. A lot of young people get their news from social media. They don't watch TV necessarily. They go on Twitter, they see this hashtag, they click on it and see everyone posting about it.

Missy: It's not only created an increased awareness about the structural problems in Hollywood, not just between race, but between gender, as well. I think the real effectiveness of the hashtag can be seen because the Oscar academy itself has made a commitment to be more representative by 2020.

What could or should Hollywood do to better reflect racial reality?

Sinan: Have an academy and film industry that better represents the demographic of society. The academy is out of date and that's the problem.

Missy: As the audience, we're paying for these products and we have to be more conscientious. If you feel that there was a justified issue with the Oscar nominees, then don't be the person paying to go see all these movies, or paying to see Prince of Persia when it's starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Sarah: There's a lot of talent, minority talent, in film festivals and indie festivals, [build] on that for actors and producers, whoever take a young person of colour [and] mentor and help them work their way up through the system.

Why does this matter to you as young people?

Missy: We're paying to see these movies. We're promoting this issue. If you want Hollywood to change then we need to stop supporting white washing. We have a role to play in that.

Sarah: Windsor-Essex is hugely diverse. We're only going to get more diverse. Our culture should reflect that diversity as well. It should allow people of diversity to have opportunity.