Poll: Fighting Inequality in the Entertainment World
The New York Times interviewed 27 actors, directors, writers and producers about their experiences seeking equality in the entertainment world. The interviews were excerpted in a 2016 feature called "What It's Really Like to Work in Hollywood.* (*If you're not a straight white man.)" Which of these quotes hits closest home for you? Discuss the list here
Vote:
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Priyanka Chopra Jonas at an event for The 43rd Annual People's Choice Awards (2017)
"At an event, I remember this girl hugged me and started crying. She said, 'Thank you for making us relevant.'" - Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actor -
#2
"Being given the female roles had its own challenges. Finally it was here, but am I feminine enough to play this role?" - Hari Nef, actor -
Effie Brown
"Finding out that a man who had less experience and critical acclaim got paid twice as much, that was a smack in the face." - Effie Brown, producer -
Sam Esmail and Rami Malek in Mr. Robot (2015)
"Growing up, I [thought] white male was the norm, the default character in every story. I never thought other possibilities could exist." - Sam Esmail, writer, director and producer -
Joe catches Missy Mae with Slimmons
"The head of casting said, 'I couldn't put you in a Shakespeare movie, because they didn't have black people then.' He literally said that." - Wendell Pierce, actor -
Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary
"For 'Deep Impact,' the director, wanted to cast Morgan as the president, and somebody at the studio said, we're not making a science-fiction movie; you can't have Morgan Freeman play the president. But she really fought for it. - Lori McCreary, producer -
America Ferrera in Real Women Have Curves (2002)
"I just remember feeling so powerless. What do you do when someone says, 'Your color skin is not what we're looking for'?" - America Ferrera, actress -
TCA Fall Premiere Party 2011
"I'm usually comfortable being the only black guy in the room. More often than not, I am." - Mike Colter, actor -
John Ridley at an event for 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016)
"I remember the executive saying, 'Why does she have to be black?' That was the most painful, that casual disregard for my experience." - John Ridley, writer, producer and director -
Kimberly Peirce at an event for 32nd Film Independent Spirit Awards (2017)
"I thought the gayness was what was going to freak people out, and in a lot of ways, it's the femaleness that causes more problems in a straight, male world." - Kimberly Peirce, director -
Richard Dean Anderson, Joan Chen, and Bryan Price in MacGyver (1985)
"It was very difficult [to get representation in the 1980s]. [The agent] probably thought I was telling fairy tales when I told him I won best actress in China." - Joan Chen, actress -
Jimmy Smits in Outlaw (2010)
"I've been told that I wasn't Latino enough, which was code for street enough." - Jimmy Smits, actor -
Chris Messina and Mindy Kaling
"My role is not just artist. It's also activist because of the way I look. It's stuff that I think about all the time. Some people don't have to think about this at all." - Mindy Kaling, actress, writer and producer -
Eva Longoria and America Ferrera at an event for 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016)
"Networks say, 'We're on board with diversity,' and they'll develop it, but they seldom program it." - Eva Longoria, actress and producer -
Julianne Moore, Kimberly Peirce, and Chloë Grace Moretz in Carrie (2013)
"[On 'Carrie'], I got half my salary. It's happened twice. I have a quote, and they said: 'We'll give you half. Take it or leave it.' They know, if you like something, you are willing to take less money" - Kimberly Peirce, director -
Rick Famuyiwa at an event for Dope (2015)
"[Pitching 'Dope,' the reaction was], 'Wow, this is really great, but do you have to deal with the violence, the drugs? We want it to be more like 'Superbad.''" - Rick Famuyiwa, director and writer -
Ken Jeong
"A professor [said]: 'You're a good actor, which is why I'm telling you, stay the hell out of LA." - Ken Jeong, actor and practicing MD -
Terrence Howard and Jussie Smollett in Empire (2015)
"This older black dude walked up and said, 'I just wanted to let you know that the story line of Jamal' [his gay character on 'Empire'] 'really made it easier for me to talk to my son about his sexuality.' Apparently he needed the story line at the moment." - Jussie Smollett, actor and singer -
Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere in The Perfect Match (2016)
"We [Latifah and I] once had a meeting; we talked about sports, politics, everything, and this man had the nerve to say, 'When is your manager going to get here?' because he expected some middle-aged white guy." - Shakim Compere, producer and manager of Queen Latifah -
Karyn Kusama in Girlfight (2000)
"With 'Girlfight,' there were questions from financiers about, what is she so angry about? That movie took so long to get made because people didn't trust she would be interesting to watch if she was less likable." - Karyn Kusama, director -
Karin Anna Cheung and Justin Lin at an event for Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
"With my first film right away everybody’s like, 'It's an Asian-American cast. It'll never sell.' A guy offered $1 million for the budget, and he said, 'We'll get Macaulay Culkin to be the lead.'" - Justin Lin, director and producer -
Effie Brown
"The woman that trained me said, 'They tell us there's room for only one of us. It's a lie, Effie. You're going to get to the top and see that there's room for all of us.'" - Effie Brown, producer