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 Following the mass protests
after the death of African American George Floyd
in U.S. police custody, the entertainment
business faces new criticism for failing to do
enough to include Black people in front of and
behind the camera.
Reuters asked actors, directors, writers and
producers what changes they would like to see in
response to the renewed push for racial equality
in the United States. Below are their replies,
edited for length and clarity.
RAPPER AND ACTOR LL COOL J:
"I'd like to see more ownership in Hollywood.
I'd like to see African Americans get better
deals, negotiate better deals, have the ability
to negotiate better deals. I enjoyed seeing a
lot of those myths destroyed, like this whole
international, 'you don't sell' thing, when
'Black Panther' does a billion dollars. That's
just the remnants of an antiquated way of
thinking that no longer applies. I think the
rules are different now. We have a really,
really smart generation here of people that are
standing up for what they believe in. And I love
it."
ACTRESS KIKI LAYNE:
"Hold Hollywood accountable, dammit. They need
to start being more aware of how we're
portrayed, how that affects us in daily life and
be held more accountable to the power that is in
the representation in film and television. So
they better get their act together before we
come back."
DIRECTOR AND WRITER GINA PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD:
"We've had a lot of watershed moments, which
should have been the moment, but this does feel
different. The number of phone calls that I’ve
had from people in positions of great power in
Hollywood asking me questions, and not being
defensive when they're given the honest real
answer, but actually hearing us. The changes
that are starting to be made. Now it’s about all
of us continuing to push so this moment doesn't
suddenly dissipate."
ACTRESS AND PRODUCER CHARLIZE THERON:
"White Hollywood should be held more
accountable. I think that's been the biggest
problem. The minorities have not been the
problem in our industries. They want to tell
their stories, they've just never been given the
access or the opportunity.
I don’t want to be part of the problem, and if
I’m in a position where I can do anything to
rectify that, I have to do that. It’s the right
thing to do. It’s not even the right thing to
do, it’s the best thing to do. It just makes for
better storytelling."
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR AND WRITER AVA DUVERNAY:
"As the industry is reopening around August and
September, with people really going back to
sets, the bottom line is that we need to
continue to ask the question 'When we look
around, are there different kinds of people that
reflect the real world in the rooms and sets
that we're on?' If the answer is no, then you're
failing. There's not an issue anymore about
people not knowing that there's a problem,
right? That was phase one, and we've done that
work, right? Everybody knows there’s a problem."
PRODUCER AND WRITER TOM ROOT:
"I saw a really scary lineup of all of the heads
of every studio and agency and how little
representation of minorities there are from the
top down. I think nothing's really going to
change until that changes."
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 ACTRESS AND WRITER YVETTE
NICOLE BROWN:
"(Actress) Amber Riley of 'Glee' created this
thing called #UnmuteMe, and it's an opportunity
for people of color, Black people, to speak up
about the racism that they've experienced on
sets. And there's a lot of racism on sets and
microaggressions to actual aggression. A lot of
people have not spoken out because they just
didn't feel safe to do so. And so she created
this hashtag so that everyone can speak out and
know that they're protected because everybody's
speaking out. Hopefully that will cause a
change. And I don't think that there is this
mass group of people in Hollywood trying to
destroy Black people. I think they just don't
know that the things that they're saying and
doing are hurtful. Once they realize what a
microaggression is, then maybe we can stop doing
that and have sets that are wonderful for
everybody."
#OSCARSSOWHITE CREATOR APRIL REIGN:
"It should not just be a Black issue. We have a
dearth of Black performances on screen, but the
Latinx community is suffering even more. The
AAPI (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders)
community is suffering even more, the indigenous
community is suffering even more, than Black
folks are." "I hope that the
studios strike while the iron is hot. I don't
want to see a plethora of resistance films a
year from now, where there's some interracial
couple who find love at a protest or some crap.
I think there are much deeper stories that need
to be told."
ACTRESS RACHEL MCADAMS:
"I hope we can continue to have a lot more
diversity, that we tell all stories instead of
just a select group. I think that this will be,
I hope, really positive for Hollywood. And I
think artists are always supposed to be on the
cusp of change, and be the leaders for
reflecting the world we should be living in."
ACTOR, PRODUCER AND WRITER WILL FERRELL:
"I'm hoping to see, and hoping to facilitate,
just more involvement, more pushing toward Black
voices across the spectrum of Hollywood.
Writers, producers, directors, cinematographers,
almost every position in Hollywood, and using
whatever currency I have to try to always foster
that."
ACTOR NICHOLAS HOULT:
"There's got to be more inclusivity. On our
part, day-to-day, we've just got to educate
ourselves and learn and be aware of it so that,
when we can, make the changes that are right."
ACTOR JOSH GAD:
"I'm hoping that unlike a lot of moments in
American history, this becomes a movement in
American history. That's my hope. And maybe I'm
naïve, maybe I'm too optimistic. But trying to
approach it from a glass is half full
(perspective). Trying to do my job to keep
spreading the message."
ACTRESS ROSE BYRNE:
"To have more persons of color in positions of
power, whether it be in executives, whether
creatives all across the board. The percentages
are so low for persons of color, people of color
and for women too. I think that should be
addressed immediately."
ACTOR AND PRODUCER PIERCE BROSNAN:
"Celebration of all races, celebration of all
humanity. Celebration of story and an open heart
and vision to how our communities interact.
White community and the Black community. And to
really address the issues and the plight of the
Black communities within storytelling."
(Reporting by Alicia Powell and Rollo Ross;
Writing by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Jonathan
Oatis)
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