You may have heard that the Oscars are very white. (Though this could be the third straight year a Mexican filmmaker wins Best Director.) Quincy Jones, who has been a member of the Academy for 50 years, landed seven Oscar nods before receiving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1994. (He also has some Grammys and Emmys.) He also co-produced 1985’s The Color Purple, which earned 11 Oscar nominations, and became the first African-American to produce the Academy Awards in 1996. Now, he’s taking this problematic diversity issue to the board. Jones agreed to appear on tonight’s Oscar telecast — and stick to the script — if he can address the board of governors regarding diversity. Speaking with the Associated Press after his Oscar rehearsal, Jones said, “I hope I can continue to inspire people to do something about this stuff.” He went on: “I’m not a politician. I just know that it’s very emotional. It’s about opening the doors.”
