Actor slammed for telling Black actors to stop complaining about diversity

joan

March 21, 2016 3:22 PM

John Boyega says he didn't mean to hurt anyone with his controversial acceptance speech at the Screen Nation Film And Television Awards in London over the weekend.

The 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' star who took home the award for Best Male Actor, explains in multiple tweets on March 20 told the crowd, "To complain about what is going on is not going to benefit us.” He added, “Be the change you want to be. Be the change, and continue and focus." (Watch video below)

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Boyega received serious backlash on social media after his eyebrow-raising remark was shared online. The actor now says he was simply saying it’s all right to complain, but one must also do something about the problem. He tweeted:

Boyega remarks comes less than a month after some Black actors boycotted the 88th Annual Academy Awards over the lack of diversity with the Oscar nomination list. Jada Pinkett, Lupita Nyong'O, Idris Elba, Will Smith, Spike Lee and many more claimed the Black, Latina and Asian communities were left out at this year;s Ocars.

joan