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J.J. Abrams on Hollywood's Diversity Problem: ''Studios Need to Step Up''

Star Wars helmer sounds off on controversy

By Marc Malkin Feb 27, 2016 1:00 PMTags
Watch: J.J. Abrams Offers Solution to Hollywood's Diversity Problem

J.J. Abrams isn't shying away from Hollywood's diversity controversy.

The Star Wars: The Force Awakens director is calling on studio bosses to wake up.

"I think the problem is slowly getting solved but nowhere near fast enough," Abrams told me Thursday at his Bad Robot offices, where he was hosting the US-Ireland Alliance's Oscar Wilde Awards. "I think we have to choose from a pool that's representative of the country we live in. I think studios need to step up and be aware of the need to make films, not just having actors that represent the population but writers, directors and crew members that do.

"I think it's good business," he continued. "I think the movies will get better, the stories will get stronger and audiences will respond bigger and that's good for the bottom line."

With the Oscars a day away, Hollywood is waiting anxiously to hear what this year's host Chris Rock has to say about #OscarsSoWhite.

All 20 nominees in the four main acting categories are white.

Rock tweeted a video of TV static yesterday with the message, "See you Sunday... #blackout #oscars."

He tweeted shortly after the nominations were announced, "The #Oscars. The White BET Awards."

Watch E!'s live 2016 Oscars red carpet coverage starting at 1:30p.m. ET/10:30a.m. PT on Sunday, February 28th