Mark Ruffalo, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Call Out HFPA Over ‘Crucial Issues’

Netflix is taking a stand against the lack of diversity and inclusion in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

On May 6, the streamer’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, shared a statement declaring a halt to any involvement in HFPA activities until the group tackles “crucial issues”. 

RELATED: The HFPA Addresses Having No Black Members During Golden Globes, Time’s Up Responds: ‘The Globes Are No Longer Golden’

“Like many in our industry, we’ve been waiting for today’s announcement in the hope that you would acknowledge the breadth of issues facing the HFPA and provide a clear roadmap for change,” wrote Sarandos in a letter to the HFPA’s Leadership Committee, according to Deadline.

The letter comes after around 75 of HFPA’s 86 members voted in favour of a new inclusion and overhaul proposal, which was put forward this week.

“Today’s vote is an important first step,” Sarandos continued. “However, 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. So we’re stopping any activities with your organization until more meaningful changes are made.”

RELATED: Time’s Up Recommends Changes For HFPA To Address Diversity And Ethics Challenges

The letter concluded, “We know that you have many well-intentioned members who want real change — and that all of us have more work to do to create an equitable and inclusive industry. But 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 rigour.”

Mark Ruffalo also called out the HFPA, telling Deadline that he “cannot feel proud or happy about being a recipient of this [Golden Globe] award.”

“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,” he said. ““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.”

Adding, “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.”

Back in February, it was revealed that the HFPA, who are responsible for Golden Globe nominations, had no Black journalists among its members.

RELATED: HFPA Commits To ‘At Least 13 Per Cent’ Membership Being Black Journalists Following Diversity Controversy

Netflix dominated this year’s Golden Globe Awards with a total of 42 nods.