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Oscars 2016: the Oscars celebrated Black History Month by honoring a white guy

Alex Abad-Santos is a senior correspondent who explains what society obsesses over, from Marvel and movies to fitness and skin care. He came to Vox in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at the Atlantic.

The running theme of the 2016 Oscars was the awards show's extreme lack of diversity. Chris Rock addressed the topic in his opening monologue, and a satirical clip later spoofed the all-white acting nominees by inserting black actors into Joy, The Martian, The Danish Girl, and The Revenant.

The critical commentary continued in a special "Black History Month" segment narrated by Angela Bassett, as Bassett teased a prolific actor-musician-pioneer who's worked on a variety of projects, from Shark Tale to Enemy of the State.

But the honoree in question might surprise you.