Exclusive: Morgan Freeman to writers of color: 'Tell your own story'

Morgan Freeman doesn't tiptoe around Hollywood's diversity problem, but the Oscar-winning actor isn't too convinced the Academy’s recent rollout of changes will help.

On Jan. 22, the honorary organization published a comprehensive plan to amend its membership criteria, and vowed to double the number of women and minority members by 2020. The Academy also stated it was launching a global campaign to scout diverse prospects in support of that pledge. The announcement came on the heels of public backlash over the all-white acting nominations for the 2016 Academy Awards.

Academy takes 'historic' steps to increase diversity

But Freeman, 78, said the Academy Awards are merely a corollary of a systemic issue, and that diversifying the voting film body does not address the root of the problem.

“We need to go way back before the Academy Awards. We need to go back to (who's) behind the camera, who’s helping to make movies," he told USA TODAY during an interview Wednesday.

"I personally would try to encourage and do try to encourage writers," he continued. "We need writers. If you’ve got stories to tell, that helps. That’s your biggest input. It’s unrealistic to me to say to a white studio, owned by white people, run by white people, ‘Well, why don’t you tell my story?’ (They're going to say) '(Expletive) you.' Tell your own story. You tell it.”

Freeman is the latest actor to weigh in on the under-representation of minorities on-screen and behind-the-scenes in Hollywood, and the actor's comments resemble  calls made by other celebrities such as The Hollars director and actor John Krasinski, though Krasinski urged studios to tap diverse talent.

"Let’s start telling more diverse stories," he told USA TODAY in January at the  Sundance Film Festival. "Let’s start allowing more diverse filmmakers to make their movies, when there are great filmmakers out there knocking at the door. Give them a movie. And then these actors, give them a role if they’re the best person for the job. I think it’s a bigger conversation that we need to be having, and the Oscars is sort of more the end of the race. We need to go back to the beginning and change it."

Freeman's next project is The Story of God, premiering on the National Geographic Channel April 3 (9 p.m. ET). The six-part documentary series follows Freeman on an international journey as he embeds himself in different cultures, participates in various religious rituals and attempts to shed light on questions regarding God and the meaning of life.