NAACP Faults Hollywood’s Lack of Black CEOs and Top Execs
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media WriterThe NAACP called on Hollywood to increase Black representation in its high-level executive ranks, issuing a report Wednesday arguing that Black executives need to have more influence in development and greenlighting of film and TV projects.The report, prepared by UCLA sociologist Darnell Hunt, comes nearly two years after corporate America — including the major Hollywood studios — made commitments to act on diversity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd.
The report includes survey responses and anonymous interviews with Black Hollywood executives, capturing a mix of both optimism and skepticism about the progress of those initiatives.“The intent is always good — the recognition that there is this big representation issue raised,” said one executive. “[But] you can’t just download what it means to live in a Black body to anon-Black decision maker.
Not to say that they can’t make decisions on this content. They can. But I think the way you really solve the problem is to have more Black decision-makers.” Since 2014, Hunt has issued annual reports on representation in film and TV.
Those reports have shown significant progress over the last several years in the diversity of on-screen performers. But the executive ranks remain overwhelmingly white, especially so at the uppermost levels.In 2020, Hunt found that 3.9% of the heads of major studio units were Black.
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