Nominees for the 88th Academy awards are out
BROWN: The nominees for the 88th Academy awards are out, and the list is full of big time Hollywood snubs and surprises. Fresh off his first ever Golden Globe win sliced alone gets first Oscar nod in 39 years and for the same role, Rocky Balboa, this time in the box office smash "Creed." Also still basking in the golden glow Leonardo Dicaprio and his team from "the revenant." They lead the pact of 12 Academy award nomination. Add to that comedian and actor Chris Rock makes a return appearance as host, his first back since 2005. And joining me to talk all things Hollywood, Kim Sarafin, senior editor at In Touch Weekly." So Kim, "the Revenant" has only been out a week and it's leading the list of nominees. I feel like I may need to go see that. And Rocky Balboa could actually get an Oscar, is that right?</s>KIM SARAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, IN TOUCH WEEKLY: Yes, exactly. "The Revenant" obviously people are talking about this 12 nomination. It leads the pact. And Leonardo Dicaprio you have to talk about this because Leonardo Dicaprio is fantastic in this movie as in every movie he pretty much does. But finally his fifth nomination for Oscar. It looks like this one, he will finally get that very well deserved Oscar. I don't think anyone -- although it's a competitive category, I think Leo is the only one we're talking about to win best actor for this role. Where, you know, there are so many stories about what he had to endure to play this role. You know, the condition, the weather conditions, getting sick. And it's a really -- it's a hard movie to watch if you go see it, but it's worth watching through some of the harder parts to get through because it's a fantastic movie.</s>BROWN: And it seems like a lot of times when the actors or actresses win it's after they've gone through some big transformation or hardship to get the role. So wouldn't be surprised. And Sly Stallone up for an Oscar 35 years after he's in the same role. This must be unusual, right?</s>SARAFIN: Yes. This is Sylvester Stallone's Oscar to lose basically. Certainly another competitive category in the best supporting actor category, but playing Rocky Balboa again in this movie "Creed," forty years basically after he first started the franchise. And you just heard at the Golden Globes when he won standing ovation from his peers in that room. And then even at the announcement this morning applause around the room for him getting this nomination. So I really think -- I don't think anyone really has a chance for this. And he really deserves it. He plays the same character, but now he's the aging mentor trying to help a young Boxer. And it is just -- it's a great Hollywood story. And Hollywood loves these kind of stories too.</s>BROWN: Well, there's another big Oscar headline out today. And of course that is the lack of diversity in this year's nominees. Not the first time this has happened as we know just last year the hash tag Oscars so white hit social media. And critics have brought it back this year. When Chris Rock last hosted there were four African- American nominees, rock also wrote an essay in 2014 for the Hollywood reporter that said Hollywood has a, quote, "race problem." The Academy's highly publicized push for more diversity not working? Because, you know, there's been all this criticism. They say they're going to change it, but this year it doesn't seem like that's the case.</s>SARAFIN: Yes, exactly. It's trending again this Oscars so white hash tag. And there were definitely movies and actors that could have gotten nominated. Out of the 20 acting nominations all 20 actors that were nominated are all white. You know, Will Smith for "Concussion" left out. Egis Alba for "Beast of no nation" left out. Even that the ten -- there are ten spots for best picture, but only eight movies nominated. So they did snub movies like "Straight Outta Compton" which could have certainly got a nomination. That would have been nice to see that. So, yes, again, we saw this last year.</s>BROWN: Would not be surprised if Chris Rock calls attention to that when he hosts. Kim Sarafin, thank you.</s>SARAFIN: Thanks.</s>BROWN: And we'll be right back after this break.