Study: More women and people of color were lead characters in movies in 2019
Despite the increase of lead characters for both women and people of color, Smith and her cohorts noted that the percentages still don’t reflect census data: Women comprise 51% of the U.S. population, and people of color make up 39.6% of the nation’s population.
Read MoreWomen of color badly underrepresented even as number of female directors of top-grossing films reached historic high in 2019
Stacy L. Smith and her cohorts at University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative have revealed more about the status of female filmmakers in the movie business. Their “Inclusion in the Director’s Chair? Analysis of Director Gender & Race/Ethnicity Across 1,300 Top Films from 2007 to 2019” reveals a 20 to 1 ratio of male […]
Read MoreDiana Huey’s ‘Little Mermaid’ reminds us why diverse casting matters
Diana Huey, the Japanese-American actor who plays Ariel in the current national touring production of the stage version of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” said she has seen negative feedback on social media throughout her run playing Ariel, who is depicted as a pale redhead in the beloved 1989 animated movie. It’s a formidable illustration of the power of cinematic images: What the beloved film shows is by many people considered the only “correct” way to depict the perennially popular Disney Princess. As more and more films are being adapted for the stage as well as for television, that means the way Hollywood chooses to depict characters also influences what we see on stage and on TV.
Read MoreTwo USC studies show numbers for women on movie screens and behind the cameras remain dismal
Two studies released in the past week out of the University of Southern California confirm that films remain predominantly white and male both in front of and behind the cameras – meaning that basically everyone else — from women and people of color to LGBT individuals and people with disabilities — remain woefully underrepresented.
Read MoreWhile Malala inspires at the movies, U.S. government investigates bias complaints behind the scenes
While the new documentary ‘He Named Me Malala’ inspires at the movies, the U.S. government is finally investigating bias complaints behind the scenes.
Read MoreWelcome to The Week In Women, an AWFJ Network Blog authored by Brandy McDonnell
An Alliance of Women Film Journalists blog.