The lack of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood is a tale as old as time. We’re talking about an industry birthed in an era when it was pretty much unfathomable for anyone other than someone white and male to access the resources, make the connections, and be granted the permission to participate in the filmmaking process (and later, television), and after a century, it’s still an industry dominated by white men. Looking at gender disparity, alone, of the top 100 grossing films in 2020, women comprised 21% of working directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors, and cinematographers. As for TV (broadcast, cable, and streaming), 30% of creators, executive producers, producers, directors, editors, and directors of photography, during the 2019-20 season, were women. 

 

Of course, if these percentages were broken down further by race and ethnicity, we’d be looking at even smaller numbers of BIPOC women working in Hollywood (the lack of representation of non-binary people in the industry is not lost on me, here). A March 2021 McKinsey report on Black representation in film and television found that among off-screen talent, only 6% of directors, 6% of producers, and 4% of writers are Black. So, we can figure the number of Black women creators in this industry is very small. Yet, when it comes to making Hollywood a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable place, it is Black women who’ve been among the most significant contributors to this cause. Let’s examine two Black women who’ve arguably made the greatest impact to date.

           

Remember when “mainstream” was synonymous with whiteness? You had mainstream TV shows which might have had a token character of color or two, but the leads—the stars—were definitely white. Then you had the “Black shows” over there, and programming offering representations of Asian, Latinx, Indigenous and other communities of color was nearly non-existent. This was the norm for decades. Then came Shonda Rhimes. Grey’s Anatomy debuted in 2005 on ABC, and this little thing called “colorblind casting” changed the game in terms of what a primetime network drama could look like. Grey’s, now in its 17th season, demonstrated how characters of color could just be characters—layered, multidimensional, perfectly imperfect personalities not intended to be representative of any particular race. This was a refreshing departure from the industry's long history of stereotyped portrayals of BIPOC. 

 

Rhimes’ inclusive storytelling also created space for more expansive portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters and interracial relationships. Grey’s and Shondaland Productions (next came Private Practice, then Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, and now, Bridgerton) ushered in a new normal for diversity on screen. Once Grey’s became a bona fide hit for ABC, other networks scrambled to get on par with that level of diversity in casting. Recently, Rhimes and Grey’s star Ellen Pompeo (who counts Rhimes as an advocate and mentor) both made headlines when they became the highest paid showrunner and TV actress respectively, each opting to do press to set an example for other women and push the conversation on gender pay equity in Hollywood and beyond. 

 

Representation matters. Audiences want to see authentic depictions of themselves. The best way to achieve that is to ensure that there is  diverse representation behind the scenes. Two fun facts: First, the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that of the top 500 films of 2019, movies with at least one female director employed greater percentages of women writers, editors, cinematographers, and composers than films with exclusively male directors. Second, the McKinsey report found that Black creators (directors, producers, writers) are most likely to get a foot in the door when there’s another Black creator on the other side, inviting them in. No surprise, then, that Ava DuVernay, perhaps the most prominent Black female director in Hollywood, today, is doing everything in her power to create more opportunities for women and people of color. 

 

Even before her major works like Selma, Queen Sugar, 13th, A Wrinkle in Time, and When They See Us, DuVernay had founded ARRAY Films, an independent film distribution collective to support independent filmmakers and amplify their stories. Yet, her biggest power move would have to be her history-making decision to have every episode of every season of her Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) series Queen Sugar be directed by a woman. Now in its fifth season, there have been 37 directors. For some of them, this was their first time directing an episode of television. Adding to the boldness of it all is the unapologetic stance DuVernay has taken on the matter. She’s told the press, “I invite you to tell whoever is feeling discriminated against to sue me so that I can sue every studio that has left women out.” Who in their right mind would dare to go there?

 

Rhimes also created opportunities for women to direct episodes of her series. Industry veteran Debbie Allen has directed several episodes of  Grey’s Anatomy, while Ellen Pompeo has directed two. Coincidentally, Ava DuVernay directed an episode of Scandal, as did series star Kerry Washington. Regina King directed two episodes. King, who’s becoming a big-name director in her own right, can now add award-winning feature film, One Night in Miami, to her directing credits. Continuing in her commitment to equity and inclusion, DuVernay’s production crew on her anthology series Cherish the Day (OWN) boasts over 50% women, including 18 department heads. DuVernay is also executive producing Sovereign at NBC. The series will be network television’s first Native American family drama. 

 

Borrowing from the language of meme culture, I’ll leave you with a challenge. Name two director-writer-producers who’ve done more to advance diversity and representation on screen and off. I’ll wait...  

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