FEATURE INTERVIEW
Interview with Dr. Darnell Hunt by musu bangura for the urban sentinel
know they were talking “Oscars So White,” so it allows us a platform to talk about diversity, or the lack thereof. So we have the numbers right here that shows definitively what’s happening or what’s not happening. This year’s report (2019) is coming out on February 21st.
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t’s no secret that diversity in Hollywood continues to thrive, despite the increasing presence of black talent among writers, actors and directors. Dr. Darnell Hunt, author of the annual Diversity in Hollywood Report, has been studying this issue for the past six years. Grabbing the attention of some of Hollywood’s biggest industry giants, Dr. Hunt hails from Prince George’s County Maryland, where he studied Journalism at Georgetown University and soon became familiar with the world of script writing. He quickly noticed the lack of diverse representation when it came to directing and producing in television. Now as the head of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, Dr. Hunt is determined to raise awareness of the diversity issue on and off the big screen. In a recent discussion, Dr. Hunt provides a sneak peek into his annual report that is annually released before the Oscars and gives us his take on recent successes such as the 2018 box office smash film, The Black Panther. Dr. Hunt also offers advice for black writers who are looking to leave their mark in the entertainment industry in the new technological wave that has taken place through powerful platforms such as Netflix. MB: How many years have you been conducting this study on diversity in Hollywood? DH: It’s an annual study that’s been going on for six years now and comes out right before the Oscars. Last year, you 8
MB: Can you give us a bit of insight on this year’s report? Any surprising findings or disappointments? DH: Well, I don’t want to give away all the headlines, but I will say we’ve seen some progress over the past six years; we’ve seen some change. The thing to keep in mind is that people of color make up more than forty percent of the population right now. And as most people know, in a couple of decades, we’re heading towards being the majority vs. the minority. That’s why we’re having all these crazy occurrences with the current administration right now. The demographics are shifting, and people are trying to hold onto their privilege in the face of that change - that’s what this is really all about. So, people shouldn’t be surprised because at the end of the day, it’s about advertising and selling products. Advertisers know that if they’re going to appeal to a potential consumer, they will have to give them images they can relate to. That’s why advertising itself has been more diverse than actual TV programming, but now TV is catching up because of platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon…there are thirteen hundred samples in our research this year and they know they can’t keep going back to the same people over and over to produce new shows. They have to create an opportunity for diverse folks to be involved that’s never been involved before. Film on the other hand, not so much progress. It’s still pretty stagnant in that area as far as diversity is concerned. We’ve seen a little progress with women directors but people of color – despite the success of Black Panther, the film industry overall, hasn’t done what it should be doing on the diversity front. MB: Actress Regina King has made it her personal mission to hire more women on her future projects. Do you see other big names in Hollywood following suit? Black or White? DH: There are a few, like Ava Duvernay - she insists on having a cast and crew that’s diverse. All of her directors are women and she’s very deliberate about that. People who have the power and credentials should be able to take that stand. Unfortunately, most of us who are able to break into the industry don’t have that when first coming into the industry. You’re trying to land a job and then trying to hold on to that job. The bottom line is the decision makers are still mostly white men. There aren’t many people of color running networks or studios. MB: You mentioned the Black Panther and the significant response it had. What are your thoughts on the success of the
