The accusations began pouring in online, with critics tweeting '#BaftaSoWhite' after Tuesday's announcement omitted a few Osc...
Denzel Washington, whose film Fences has been gaining awards momentum with 31 wins and 86 nominations this season so far, did not grab the attention of the British Academy.
It won the coveted best film category at the Golden Globes, while Jenkins was nominated for best director.
Hollywood Reporter columnist Scott Feinberg has been one of the most vocal critics.
"That stinks worse than week-old fish and chips, and BAFTA surely knows it," Feinberg wrote, accusing the British Academy of Film and Television Arts of having "some sort of race-related problem".
"I want to remind people about the strong films," Berry told Deadline.
"Let's not overshadow their achievements because they are exceptional."
However, she did admit the lack of "diversity among the top acting categories" showed there was "still work to be done".
As for Washington, the six-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner has never been nominated for a BAFTA.
The awards faced similar accusations last year and took steps to increase diversity by tweaking membership rules - although those have yet to take effect.
The debate comes in the wake of last year's #OscarsSoWhite row, which led to the Academy inviting a record number of new people for this year's voting, including black stars Idris Elba and John Boyega.
Last year, the London Film Festival took a similar stand, opening with Amma Assante's A United Kingdom in an unprecedented push to promote diversity.
