Amanda Seales did a little venting this weekend regarding Black entertainment spaces that “don’t recognize” her.
On Sunday (Mar. 17), the multi-hyphenate hopped on Instagram to voice her frustrations about being iced out of certain events. She name-dropped the recently aired NAACP Image Awards, the BET Awards, and ESSENCE Women in Hollywood.
Seales detailed that the cold shoulder from the Black entertainment industry even has her considering,”[shifting] out of this industry” altogether. But the actress insisted that love and support from her dedicated fanbase that helped reassure her status in the industry.
“If it wasn’t for y’all, I would really think that I ain’t doing sh*t. Because the industry I’m in does not recognize me,” she explained. “To be clear I’m speaking about the Black spaces in the industry I’m in…which is largely in part why I realized I need to shift out of this industry…I don’t get invited to Essence Women in Hollywood. I’ve NEVER been invited to the NAACP Image awards. I’ve been nominated for an Image award, never been invited.”
“Never been honored at Black Girls Rock…I literally hosted the BET Awards in 2020 in my house and I was not invited to the BET Awards since,” she continued. “So I just want to thank y’all for always reminding me that I really am valuable because the game and the industry that I’ve been in has never let me know.”
Her comments garnered quite a response across social media. Folks on X/Twitter hypothesized that the opinionated figure is too problematic and may have burned too many bridges in the industry. “It’s because A LOT of people in that industry do not like her. She leaves a horrible taste in ppl’s mouths,” one account typed.
“She’s a talented and creative person and honest and opinionated. And they don’t like that,” offered another user, with a third writing, “Amanda Seales might wanna consider going back to being Amanda Diva and leave us alone! Every 6 months she tells us how Black Hollywood don’t f**k with her. The Sage Steele and Amanda podcast is definitely the next move at this rate,” another account quipped.
Over on Instagram, fans seemed more inclined to rally around the actress. Various accounts showed love to Amanda, celebrating her for her unapologetic perspectives and stances. “I doubt you got into the biz to be acknowledged by any particular group,” one fan typed on IG. “I imagine it was for the work. It’s disappointing not to be acknowledged when you know you have excelled but continue to do work that is meaningful and pays you. You can’t eat an award or invite to a party.”
However, one account kept it blunt, short, and (not) sweet in detailing why she’s being cast aside. “No platform likes her…she is negative,” they concisely commented.
Meanwhile, the NAACP recently recognized Usher with the President’s Award. The R&B icon was recognized for his “unparalleled talent and remarkable contributions” to entertainment. The singer used his acceptance speech to then recognize his mother for believing in him.
“I’m very honored to receive this amazing award; from the depths of my soul, my passion work is what has mattered to me since my mother has made me understand what the opportunity to be able to speak to the entire world is,” Usher expressed.
“I wanted to make it known that far too often, women in our industry [don’t] get the recognition that they truly deserve. When we first started, it was even harder for a mother to believe in the dreams that I had because I was unwavering, being raised without a father. In our home being raised [by] a single parent…it was a lot. But she, if anybody deserves it more than anybody, it’s her.”