New York, Jan. 21 (Reuters): Will Smith today joined director Spike Lee and his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith in deciding not to attend the 2016 Oscar ceremony in February in protest over the absence of actors of colour among the nominees.

Smith, star of football head trauma movie Concussion, was the highest-profile black actor to be snubbed by Oscar voters when nominees were announced last week.

"My wife's not going... We've discussed it. We're part of this community. But at this current time, we're uncomfortable to stand there and say this is OK," Smith told ABC television's Good Morning America. "I've been nominated twice for Academy awards and I've never lost to a white person."