How Does White Hollywood Plan to Solve its Diversity Issue?
In an article done by Essence, it discussed the diversity problem that is happening in Hollywood. The article mentioned the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that started back in 2015 because every single acting nominee was white. Since then the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been trying to make sure that his mistake doesn’t happen again.
Since then, the Academy has added to its membership making it younger and more diverse with additions such as Jordan Peele, Janelle Monae, Barry Jenkins, and Donald Glover – the Academy is still made up of only 13% people of color. Reports have shown that there’s been no significant improvement in diversity in filmmaking with white actors securing over 70% of the speaking roles.
Essence went on to mention that to our surprise Regina King earned her first Oscar nomination for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk and Spike Lee earned his first nod for directing BlacKkKlansman. The Oscars continue to show that many talented people of color still get looked over and some of these talented actors, director, producers, or designers may never get the recognition they are deserved.
With all of these conversations coming up in Hollywood, Essence asked white allies, how they’d solve the diversity issue in Hollywood. Below are some quotes, Some pointed out that they are already choosing diverse projects moving forward, while others say that they needed to do more
Sarah Paulson declared, "I try to show up and not shy away from questions like that. And in every choice, I make in my working life to have the room represent the world around me. And I happen to work with a man, Ryan Murphy, for whom diversity and inclusion has always been the most important driving force in all of his projects...I know not everybody has that great good fortune.
James McAvoy stated, "Everybody in this industry is only employed for a couple of months as well. And nobody really wants to be the one to step out and go like, 'Oh, I'm putting my foot down' because you want to get hired again. So everyone is scared to stand out. Everybody is scared to take a stance because we're so fireable. Everybody is so fireable. And you need people to be brave."
Kyle MacLaclan responded, "It all comes down to the creative and working with creative people. There's no color when it comes to creativity -- whoever brings it, brings it."
Sarah Bullock replied, "I don't look at color or religion [or] anything as something that needs to separate us. I just go for what I feel and what I love and what makes me laugh and whats moves me."