Joaquin Phoenix used his acceptance speech at this year’s Baftas to highlight the damning lack of diversity during this year’s awards season.

While he stated he was grateful for the Best Actor award, the Joker star added: “I also feel conflicted – we send a very clear message to people of colour that ‘you’re not welcome here.”

The trend “#BaftasSoWhite” which dominated Twitter after the announcement of this year’s nominations last month due to a severe lack of diversity and representation across the acting categories.

“I don’t think anybody wants a handout or preferential treatment,” he continued. “People just want to be acknowledged and appreciated and respected for their work.

“I’m ashamed to say that I’m part of the problem, because I’ve not ensured that the sets I’ve worked on are inclusive.”

Baftas 2020: The red carpet Show all 38 1 /38 Baftas 2020: The red carpet Baftas 2020: The red carpet Joaquin Phoenix REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Scarlett Johansson PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Saoirse Ronan PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Florence Pugh PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Al Pacino REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Renee Zellweger PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Olivia Colman PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Charlize Theron EPA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Daisy Ridley EPA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Taron Egerton AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Daniel Kaluuya Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Baftas 2020: The red carpet Margot Robbie PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Emilia Clarke PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Rooney Mara PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Robert De Niro PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet John Boyega REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Rebel Wilson AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Adam Driver and Joanne Tucker EPA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Greta Gerwig AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Alice Eve PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Ella Balinska AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Naomi Ackie AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Anna Elisabet Eberstein and Hugh Grant REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Song Kang Ho and Bong Joon-ho AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Zoe Kravitz AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Lily-Rose Depp PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Gillian Anderson AFP via Getty Images Baftas 2020: The red carpet Jessie Buckley REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Naomie Harris REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Alex Wolff PA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Laura Dern Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Baftas 2020: The red carpet Graham Norton EPA Baftas 2020: The red carpet Micheal Ward REUTERS Baftas 2020: The red carpet Oliver Cheshire and Pixie Lott Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Baftas 2020: The red carpet Taika Waititi EPA

“We really have to do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism. I think that it is the obligation of the people who have created and perpetuated and benefited from a system of oppression to dismantle it… so that’s on us.”

The actor received a huge round of applause from the crowd in response to his speech.

Earlier in the evening, Brad Pitt – who won Best Supporting Actress or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – delivered an acceptance speech, via Margot Robbie, that poked fun at Brexit and Prince Harry.