Baftas are 'too white', admits awards chief executive

A lack of diversity in the film industry is to blame for the small number of black and ethnic minority Bafta nominees, the charity’s chief executive has claimed.

Amanda Berry’s comments come as campaigners prepare to stage a demonstration outside London’s Royal Opera House ahead of Sunday’s awards.

A group called Creatives of Colour will protest outside the flagship ceremony against the lack of diversity in front of the camera.

Ms Berry told the Daily Telegraph: "Not enough films are being made with diverse talent in front of the camera. Our industry isn't diverse enough, so the pool of people to draw award winners from isn't diverse enough.

“I want the awards to be as diverse as they possibly can be. But people can only vote on what they've seen."

She added she was “supportive” of the planned demonstration, and said the charity would be setting membership targets on diversity.

She also said she did not want to "gloat" that the acting shortlist was more diverse than the Oscars, which is again embroiled in a race row and faces a boycott from stars.

Ms Berry said: "It would be inappropriate for me to say that we've done a better job than the Oscars. I admire their stance. They've said that they're going to make changes.

“They know it isn't good enough. I don't want to gloat and say we've done better, because it could have gone the other way. I can't control who's nominated."

Beasts Of No Nation star Idris Elba, who is nominated for best supporting actor, and Star Wars actor John Boyega, a rising star nominee, are the only black actors to appear in this year's Bafta shortlist.

Leon Herbert, who appeared in the films Batman and Alien 3, is leading the Creatives of Colour demonstration, which has been using the hashtag Bafta Blackout on social media.

He told the paper: "The protest is not against Bafta per se, but against the film industry. The problem is that all the judging panels are white. I want to create a level playing field."