America Ferrera is weighing in on Hollywood’s diversity problem(s), and not for the first time. The former “Ugly Betty” star’s bit with Eva Longoria at this year’s Golden Globes was easily one of the best parts of the ceremony. The two riffed about Hollywood’s racism and how often Latina actresses (who don’t even look alike!) are mistaken for one another.
Now the Emmy winner is addressing #OscarsSoWhite — and male. At the second MAKERS Conference on Monday, Ferrera and Gloria Steinem discussed the lack of inclusion at the top of the entertainment industry.
From Ferrera’s perspective, the fact that Oscar nominees are overwhelmingly white and male is a symptom of a bigger problem.
“I think that the issue [of diversity in Hollywood] is multipronged and the solutions have to be multipronged as well,” said Ferrera.
She elaborated, “It’s a long, long journey from inception of an idea to being on the Oscar stage. While that’s the end goal, and you have this group of people who are largely white old men deciding what’s deemed good that is a problem… it starts all the way back with whose stories are we telling, whose stories are we supporting. And also, how do we get more diverse voices to join an industry that seems so unfriendly to them? The playing field isn’t level and equal.”
Check out The Hollywood Reporter’s recently released Studio Scorecard to get a sense of just how unequal a playing field it is.
Ferrera currently stars in NBC’s “Superstore.”
[via Mashable]
