Kevin Hart, Whoopi Goldberg to present at Oscars

Kevin Hart, Whoopi Goldberg and Benicio Del Toro will present at  the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday.

The first slate of performers and presenters for the February 28 Oscars also includes Tina Fey, Ryan Gosling, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Charlize Theron, Room star Jacob Tremblay, The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams.

Producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin said in a statement:

“Each of these artists brings a wonderfully distinctive element to the Oscars stage. Together they represent the many thrilling ways stories can be shared about the human experience, and we’re honored they will be part of the celebration.”

The diverse initial slate of presenters and performers, featuring five non-white stars, also shows the academy is eager to put forward a diverse slate for the show hosted by Chris Rock.  The academy has undergone a storm of criticism after no actors of color were nominated in the actors fields for the second year in a row.

The #OscarsSoWhite nominations have led to director Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith to boycott the show.

Goldberg, who won an Oscar for 1990's Ghost, expressed support for the academy on The View saying the diversity problem lies with the film industry as a whole. Goldberg said that a boycott would be a "slap in the face" to host Rock.