\"I don’t think anybody wants a handout or a preferential treatment, although that is what we give ourselves every year,\" he added. \"I think that people just want to be acknowledged and appreciated and respected for their work.\"

He also acknowledged his own shortcomings, adding that he is \"ashamed to say that I am part of the problem.\"

\"This is not a self-righteous condemnation ... I have not done everything in my power to ensure that the sets I work on are inclusive,\" he shared. \"But I think that it's more than just having sets that are multicultural.\"

\"I think that we have to really do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism,\" he noted. \"I think that it is the obligation of the people that have created and perpetuate and benefit from a system of oppression to be the one to dismantle it. So that’s on us.\"

\"The Farewell\" director Lulu Wang noted the crowd's reaction to his words in a tweet.

\"An uncomfortable silence filled the hall for a long noticeable moment. Thank you Joaquin,\" she shared.

An uncomfortable silence filled the hall for a long noticeable moment. Thank you Joaquin.

— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) February 2, 2020

The show also noticeably excluded women from the best director category, like the 92nd Academy Awards nominations.

Prince William also spoke out on the lack of diversity and inclusion in the award show while addressing the crowd at the BAFTAs.

\"Both here in the U.K. and in many other countries across the world we are lucky to have incredible filmmakers, actors, producers, directors and technicians -- men and women from all backgrounds and ethnicities enriching our lives through film,” he said.

\"Yet in 2020, and not for the first time in the last few years, we find ourselves talking again about the need to do more to ensure diversity in the sector and in the awards process -- that simply cannot be right in this day and age.\"

\"PHOTO:
Jeff Gilbert/Getty Images
PHOTO: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge speaks with BAFTA winner Joaquin Phoenix at the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 2, 2020 in London.
>

He also pointed out the actions the academy will take in the wake of the exclusive nominations list.

\"BAFTA take this issue seriously, and following this year's nominations, have launched a full and thorough review of the entire awards process to build on their existing work and ensure that opportunities are available to everyone,\" he shared.

BAFTA has not responded to a request for comment.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/joaquin-phoenix-calls-systemic-racism-film-industry-baftas/story?id=68720222","legacySlug":"/culture/story/joaquin-phoenix-calls-systemic-racism-film-industry-baftas-68720222","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"15:20","publishDate":"02-03-2020","updatedTime":"20:41","updatedDate":"02-05-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"Joaquin Phoenix poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in London, Feb. 2 2020.","credit":"Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/bafta-2-ap-er-200202_hpMain_2_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"2/3/2020 15:20:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":68720222,"headline":"Joaquin Phoenix calls out 'systemic racism'","mediaAssetTitle":"JOAQUIN PHOENIX BAFTAS ON RACE","description":"\"I don’t think anybody wants a handout or a preferential treatment,\" he said. ","duration":"0:53","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/02/200103_wabc_joaquinphoenixMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["68246093","68086584","68103999"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"story","date":"January 14, 2020","headline":"Female directors snubbed in 2020 Oscar nominations -- here's what can be done","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/female-directors-snubbed-2020-oscar-nominations-68246093","id":68246093,"image":{"alt":"Female directors snubbed in 2020 Oscar nominations -- here's what can be done","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/greta-gerwig-gty-aa-191209_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images, FILE","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"January 6, 2020","headline":"Golden Globes 2020: 5 top moments of the night","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/golden-globes-2020-full-recap-missed-68086584","id":68086584,"image":{"alt":"Golden Globes 2020: 5 top moments of the night","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/77th_Annual_Golden_Globe_Awards_-_Press_Room_hpMain_20200106-013049_2_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"story","date":"January 6, 2020","headline":"Why Joaquin Phoenix will wear the same tux to every awards show","section":"culture","slug":"/culture/story/joaquin-phoenix-wear-tux-awards-show-68103999","id":68103999,"image":{"alt":"Why Joaquin Phoenix will wear the same tux to every awards show","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/joaquin-phoenix-ap-jef-200106_hpMain_4x3t_240.jpg","credit":"Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Joaquin Phoenix calls out 'systemic racism'","description":"\"I don’t think anybody wants a handout or a preferential treatment,\" he said. ","duration":"0:53","uploadDate":"02-03-2020","publication":"02-03-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/02/200103_wabc_joaquinphoenixMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/02/200103_wabc_joaquinphoenixMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/joaquin-phoenix-calls-systemic-racism-film-industry-baftas-68720222"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132714218","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132701634","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132706335","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132675442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132665875","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132628890","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132569874","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132567885","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132510121","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132473181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132497933","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"Joaquin Phoenix calls out 'systemic racism'","pubTime":"10:20","pubDate":"02-03-2020","modTime":"15:41","modDate":"02-05-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":68720222,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Joaquin Phoenix calls out 'systemic racism'","mediaAssetTitle":"JOAQUIN PHOENIX BAFTAS ON RACE","videoId":68720222,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/joaquin-phoenix-calls-systemic-racism-film-industry-baftas-68720222"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/68720222","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/68720222","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};