The 88th annual Academy Awards, dubbed the “White People’s Choice Awards,” by host, Chris Rock, sparked controversy long before the stars walked the red carpet on Sunday night.

After the nominees were announced in January, with all of the acting nominees being white, outraged celebrities expressed their discontent with the lack of diversity. This outrage marked the beginning of the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite and Jada Pinkett Smith’s call for a boycott of the Academy Awards.

Pinkett Smith was the first to tweet about the boycott, writing, “At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards…even entertain, but we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment.”

In agreement with Pinkett Smith, Oscar-winning director, Spike Lee, spoke out over Instagram, and actor, David Oyelowo, who was snubbed last year for his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, spoke out against the nominees. Oyelowo said, “For 20 opportunities to celebrate actors of color, actresses of color, to be missed last year is one thing; for that to happen again this year is unforgivable.”

Additionally, Cheryl Boone Isaas, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, released an official statement in January, saying, “I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”

Needless to say, the controversy provoked thought in Hollywood, and the question “Is Hollywood racist?” carried throughout the entire award show. Rock addressed the controversy head-on. He joked, “You realize if they nominated hosts I wouldn’t even get this job. You’d be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.”

His opening monologue continued to address the issue of racism in Hollywood. Rock said, “What everybody wants to know … is Hollywood racist?… Is it burning-cross racist? No. Is it fetch me some lemonade racist? No, no, no. It’s a different type of racist. … It ain’t that kind of racist that you’ve become accustomed to.”

“Hollywood,” Rock continued, “is sorority racist. It’s like, ‘We like you, Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.’ That’s how Hollywood is. But things are changing. … We got a black Rocky this year. Some people call it ‘Creed,’ I call it ‘Black Rocky.’ And that’s an unbelievable statement because ‘Rocky’ takes place in a world where white athletes are as good as black athletes. ‘Rocky’ is a science-fiction movie!”

As actors and actresses of both races were asked about the controversy surrounding the 88th Academy Awards, other issues were highlighted. George Clooney, Oscar-winner, addressed the topic in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine. Clooney said, “I don’t think it’s a problem of who you’re picking as much as it is: How many options are available to minorities in film, particularly in quality films?”

Strong opposition to Pinkett Smith’s boycott also began to appear, such as actress Janet Hubert’s attack on Pinkett Smith’s intentions. In a video message response to Pinkett Smith, Hubert insulted Pinkett Smith’s efforts, saying, “First of all, Miss Thing: Does your man not have a mouth of his own with which to speak?”  

Hubert continued,  “The second thing, girlfriend, there’s a lot of s–t going on in the world that you all don’t seem to recognize. People are dying. Our boys are being shot left and right. People are hungry. People are starving. People are trying to pay bills. And you’re talking about some motherf–king actors and Oscars. It just ain’t that deep.”

Rock addressed Pinkett Smith and Smith’s absence from the award show, joking, “Jada got mad, Jada said she’s not coming.” He continued, “Isn’t she on a TV show? Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”

Continuing the joke, Rock pretended to talk with Pinkett Smith. “I get it. You get mad,” he said. Rock joked, “She said ‘It was not fair that Will was this good and did not get nominated’.”

While critics of Pinkett Smith, like Hubert and Rock, claim her disdain stemmed from her husband, Will Smith, not receiving an Oscar nomination for his film Concussion, Smith spoke out on the issue in support of his wife. Honoring her intentions, he said, “This is so deeply not about me. This is about children that are going to sit down and they’re going to watch this show and they’re not going to see themselves represented.”

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Chris Rock, comedian, hosted the 88th annual Academy Awards.