President Obama on Oscars row: 'Is everyone getting a fair shot?'
US president wades into controversy over lack of diversity in the film awards.
Barack Obama has waded into the row over the lack of diversity among the Oscars nominees, asking "Are we making sure that everybody is getting a fair shot?"
It comes after the awards organisers were accused of overseeing discrimination when no black or minority actors were nominated for the main categories for a second year running.
Asked about his opinions, Mr Obama said the row reflected wider concerns over whether everyone was getting equal opportunities.
The film industry should do what others practiced - "look for talent and provide opportunity to everybody," he told ABC7 news outlet.
The Academy Awards have pledged to change their membership rules in a bid to increase diversity as a result of the media storm which saw #OscarsSoWhite trend on Twitter.
It has also set a goal to double minority and women members by 2020.
Some high-profile figures have joined calls for a boycott of this year's Oscars on February 28. while academy members have hit back over what they say is scapegoating.
Studies have shown that minorities remain under-represented in all levels of the movie business, from protagonists on screen to executives who can give a film the go-ahead.
But the last two years are unusual in recent Oscar history. In the last 10 years 24 of the 200 acting nominees were black - though Hispanic or Asian-American actors are tipped for awards far less often.