Oscar Nominations Met With Controversy When Only White Actors Selected For Top Acting Categories

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences came under fire Thursday after announcing their Oscar nominations.

What was noticeably present from all the top acting categories: ethnic diversity.

One of the year's brightest stars, David Oyelowo from the critically-acclaimed Civil Rights-era film "Selma," spoke with Entertainment Tonight about what many are calling an Oscar snub: "I think we're just going to keep plugging away. The only way to put a dent in the very real fact that there is a disproportionate amount of people who don't look like me. I'm just gonna fight, doing the best I can with the roles I get."

Actor Patrick Stewart also spoke about the controversy, saying, "I think that's disappointing. David was great, but you'd have to say someone on the list doesn't belong there, and that's not true."

"Selma" was nominated for "Best Picture" and "Best Original Song."

Rev. Al Sharpton is blasting the lack of diversity.

"It's ironic that they nominated a story about the racial shutout around voting while there is a racial shutout around the Oscar nominations," said Sharpton, president of the National Action Network.

The civil rights activist has formed a task force on the movie industry, saying it's like the Rocky Mountains: the higher you get, the whiter it gets.

Sharpton is holding an emergency task force meeting next week to discuss what action might be taken.