Has Spike Lee Done the WRONG Thing to Battle Racism in Hollywood?
Ask the self-appointed experts and they will tell you cinema is a dying art form. “Nobody” goes to the movies anymore. They all stay home and stream. While it may ring true that the average movie viewer goes to fewer movies, it’s absolute rubbish to say “nobody” goes to the movies. In fact, blockbusters make cash hand over fast; raking in record box office receipts faster than they count them. But some big names in Tinseltown require more than just success. They look at Oscar winners and box office successes and don’t see a healthy Hollywood. They see a racist industry keeping people of color from achieving success they would otherwise earn. The undisputed banner carrier of this message? Renowned director Spike Lee. The mind behind generation-defining films such as Do the Right Thing has long supported a more race-inclusive Hollywood. And, despite his success shaping culture and bringing in cash at the box office, Lee is still not satisfied with the state of things in the entertainment industry. He wants more black faces in positions of power.
Naysayers are quick to decry Lee’s statements. Some call it Affirmative Action for the A-list. Others point out that, for the most part, producers only care about one color: green. In the past, Denzel Washington and Will Smith represented two of the biggest headliners in Hollywood. Suddenly, they starred in everything. Hit after hit after multi-million-dollar hit. These guys defied labels when everyone wanted to call them the exception to the rule. Then came Sam Jackson, who almost single-handedly redefined action noir and, some say, carried movies that did not have hit quality without his growling, profanity spewing presence. Jackson turned breakthrough roles in Pulp Fiction and Unbreakable into major, big-money roles in blockbusters such as the Avengers and Star Wars franchises. But here’s the rub. Lee isn’t upset about leading roles … at least not at the moment. His message is for the businesses behind the scenes. “This industry is so behind sports, it’s ridiculous,” Lee said. “It’s easier to be the president of the United States as a black person than to be the head of a studio. Honest. Or the head of a network. I’m getting real here. When I go to offices, I see no black folks, except for the brother man who is the security guard who checks my name as I go into the studio.” Now, Lee, along with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, aims to find a solution. Together, they developed and implemented a five-year plan to motivate Hollywood executives to hire more racially diverse workforces. Washington, who starred in Lee’s acclaimed biopic, Malcolm X, praised his efforts. “Spike Lee has put more African-Americans to work in this business than anyone else.” But, despite these successes, is Lee’s message falling on deaf ears? Has his characteristic blunt, accusative tone struck the wrong nerve among Hollywood’s other power brokers? Lee wants more than just lip service, but has he found the right tone to accomplish the intention of his message? He has a plan, and he has a timeline. In five years, maybe less, we will have our answer. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking, and Lee has a lot of convincing to do. Roman Temkin is a real estate developer from NYC.