To say this isn’t a great time to be a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is an understatement. Not only was this year’s Golden Globes, which hands out trophies based on the voting of the HFPA, incredibly low-rated and not very high quality, but a Los Angeles Times report before that event painted a picture of an organization that is not very diverse and is prone to accepting gifts in exchange for possible recognition. But over the past several days, things have only gotten worse for the HFPA.
Last week, it was reported (via Variety) that the HFPA, which counts less than 100 members, had approved changes to its organization that would include adding 20 more members to the group in 2021 with a focus on adding Black people (there are currently zero Black people in the HFPA). There will also be more restrictions on accepting gifts. For many, this was seen as a step in the right direction but doesn’t fix the problem. The first major criticism about these new rules came from Netflix.
“We don’t believe these proposed new policies — particularly around the size and speed of membership growth — will tackle the HFPA’s systemic diversity and inclusion challenges, or the lack of clear standards for how your members should operate,” said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. “So we’re stopping any activities with your organization until more meaningful changes are made. Netflix and many of the talent and creators we work with cannot ignore the HFPA’s collective failure to address these crucial issues with urgency and rigor.”
As you might expect, one of the biggest studios in the world talking about not working with the HFPA in the future is big news. It definitely caught the eye of many in Hollywood, including Ava DuVernay, the filmmaker behind “When They See Us” and “Selma.”
DuVernay tweeted, “Damn. This is a big deal. Props to [Netflix] for being first to take a stand.”
Of course, this tweet comes on the heels of another post from the filmmaker, where she shed some light on why “When They See Us” wasn’t nominated for Globes previously. And yes, it comes down to the membership of the HFPA.
“For the WHEN THEY SEE US/ HFPA press conference, less than 20 of them showed up,” she explained. “Based on the quality of their questions, I jokingly asked, ‘Have any of you seen the series?’ Crickets. More came in the room when the pix were to be taken, at which time two peddled their scripts.”
Netflix was also joined by Amazon in distancing from the HFPA. A statement from the tech company said, “We have not been working with the HFPA since these issues were first raised, and like the rest of the industry, we are awaiting a sincere and significant resolution before moving forward.”
Netflix, Amazon, and DuVernay weren’t the only people who are actively calling out the HFPA and its terrible practices. Scarlett Johansson painting a pretty damning picture of the organization and explained why she has not even bothered with appearing at the group’s press conferences.
“As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows,” said the actress (via Variety). “In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences. The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole.”
Johansson’s “Avengers: Endgame” co-star, Mark Ruffalo, also spoke up about the new rules and why people shouldn’t applaud the HFPA’s new policies yet.
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“It’s discouraging to see the HFPA, which has gained prominence and profited handsomely from their involvement with filmmakers and actors, resist the change that is being asked of them from many of the groups that have been most disenfranchised by their culture of secrecy and exclusion,” Ruffalo said (via Deadline). “Now is the time to step up and right the wrongs of the past. Honestly, as a recent winner of a Golden Globe, I cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of this award.”
He added, “Our industry is embracing the opportunity for greater equality in this beautiful moment. It is not perfect and long overdue but it is clear what must happen and how. The Justice Movement is offering all of us, the HFPA, and every other entertainment entity, a good way forward. We should all follow suit. It is our audiences and our highest sense of decency that we are ultimately serving with these changes. They are both deserving.”
Clearly, this is a problem that will continue to play out in the days to come. We are still nearly a year away from next year’s Golden Globes, so there seems to be time for the HFPA to try to implement changes to its policies that were recently voted on. However, there is a lot of damage that is already done and more that will happen as folks begin to speak up. It’ll be interesting to see how this might affect Globes ratings and whether or not the ceremony will get the primetime network TV slot it’s enjoyed over the decades. We’ll just have to wait and find out.