Harriet star Cynthia Erivo has said it's "saddening" and "a real eye-opener" to be the only person of colour to be nominated for an acting Oscar award this year across all four categories.
She has been nominated in the Best Actress category for her leading role in Harriet, which is about American anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman. All of the other 19 nominees in the acting categories are white.
The British actress spoke about the ceremony's lack of diversity in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, admitting that it does weigh on her.
"It is a moment for celebration, but it also is a real eye-opener", she said. "It can't just be me alone.
"There's just such good work going on and this may sound fatalistic, but I would hate for people's work to have gone by and then for us to have looked back and go, 'Oh, I wish we would've given roses,' when people aren't there to actually receive them. I don't want us to do that.
"To be in a room and not being able to see other actors [of colour] who are nominated, to not be able to share that with another black actress is saddening. I would love to share this moment with someone else."
Sunday's Baftas event was also criticised for a lack of diversity among the nominees and Erivo said she refused to perform at the ceremony in London after being asked by organisers.
She said of how that decision has been received: "There are black actors who have reached out and said, 'Thank you very much, congratulations and well done.'
"Here, it's been received really well. Over there, I've only been paying attention to those I know and care about who are also black actors and actresses in the business, and demand to be a bit more outspoken about their belief in making sure it's a more diverse playing field, and that we get to see ourselves celebrated as well."
