Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation is 98% White and Mostly Male
The new weekly Hollywood Reporter is out, and they’ve really cracked the business wide open.
According to their cover feature on the Next Generation, Hollywood’s “Young Guns” are five white guys.
Inside the issue, featured among dozens of agents and actors, there are two–that’s right, two–men of color. One is African American. One was born in Uganda.
The only black actor of the next generation in Hollywood is Brandon T. Jackson, the “real” black guy from “Tropic Thunder.” The only executive? Tendo Nagenda, a VP of production at Disney.
Otherwise, Janice Min’s cutting edge magazine sadly reflects the fact that this year there are no non-white potential Oscar nominees. After last year’s excitement over “Precious,” this year there is no multi-culturalism at all. It’s a sad state of affairs for 2010 in Hollywood.
They’re so proud of what they’ve done that the new Hollywood Reporter even made a video of a party they threw recently. The link is at top. It’s a little embarrassing.
They managed to find a dozen actors, writers and directors under the age of 35 and not one of them is non-Caucasian. It’s just unbelievable.
Since THR couldn’t do it, here are some suggestions for Next Generation actors under 35:
Paula Patton, currently shooting “Mission: Impossible 4,” doesn’t turn 35 until next month. She’s talented, beautiful, and made a name for herself in “Precious.”
Jurnee Smollett is 24, and made quite an impression in “The Great Debaters.” So did Nate Parker, 31, who stars in George Lucas‘s “Red Tails.”
Anthony Mackie, 32, is already a star in the eyes of many. He’s got “The Adjustment Bureau” coming up, and is right now starring in “Night Catches Us” with another new generation star, Kerry Washington, who’s 33.
Of course, there are many, many more from Derek Luke and Joy Bryant to Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, nominee Gabby Sidibe, and Octavia Spencer, who’s going to be a knockout next season in “The Help.”
And directors: Gina Prince Bythewood (she’s 41), “Secret Life of Bees” and many other credits; Tim Story (40) directed both of the Fantastic Four movies and “Barbershop.”
Feel free to add some names in the Comments section. Let’s tell The Hollywood Reporter who they missed. Movies must be multi-cultural in order for Hollywood to survive.
Roger, I too would like to thank you for putting a spotlight on this incredible injustice. It’s hard to fathom these actions are still happening in 2010! As a British black man, over many years I’ve watched with a degree of sadness, several of my talented black countrymen and women having to make the decision to leave the UK and head to the Hollywood to receive better roles and higher profiles, now only to find the same old struggle continues.
Roger I think you nailed it. I love Anthony Mackie and he should have been a supporting actor nom in the Hurt Locker. Zoe Saldana anyone? She’s like the biggest woman of color on screen right now — Star Trek and Avatar. How much bigger can you get?
Freida Pinto anyone? Come on!
Roger, thank you so much for your attention to this topic. It is such a shame that as the face of America changes, Hollywood refuses to follow suit. There are so many amazingly beautiful, talented black actresses that could shine in the roles so often given to marginally talented Caucasian actresses. As a under 35 black woman, it gets awfully irritating to see black actresses typecast as the asexual, straight-talking best friend to white female leads with the world at their fingertips.