Vishnu KD
3 min
New investigation into the British entertainment industry has indicated that performers of color continue to suffer institutional bias in their pursuit of a career.
The survey of 1300 people conducted between March and April by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University and the Personal Managers Association, with support from the Casting Director's Guild, paints a "alarming" picture of audition, casting, and hair and make-up experiences.
The research, which can be downloaded here, is thought to be the most comprehensive poll of British actors on diversity and the auditioning process to date.
The following are some of the study's key findings:
79 percent of respondents believe their ethnicities are still stereotyped in roles.
During an audition, 64% of respondents had encountered racist stereotypes.
In the workplace, 55 percent of respondents had encountered racial behavior.
Actors that took part in the study also indicated specific hair and make-up concerns, as well as an inability to speak up about discriminatory practices they faced on the job, finding:
71 percent of respondents had had hair and make-up departments that were unable to accommodate their ethnicity, hair color, or skin tone.
61 percent of respondents said they are “almost” unable to decline an audition for a stereotypical character.
66 percent of respondents said they are “generally” unable to openly discuss issues with a director.
The report Race Between the Lines: Actors' Experiences of Race and Racism in Britain's Audition and Casting Process and On Set makes the following recommendations:
The requirement for an impartial third-party reporting body to which actors can have confidential and anonymous access if necessary.
Active participation and input from people of color in key positions with the authority to engage in anti-racist activities, such as avoiding stereotypes in writing and casting.
Ensure that hair and make-up artists working with performers of different backgrounds have the necessary skills.
According to the findings, preconceptions in casting briefs lead to discriminatory behavior at auditions, which are frequently overseen by all-white panels of directors or producers. Actors were urged to play it more "sassy," "urban," and "street" using code words in connection with preconceptions of African-Caribbeans, according to reports. Alternative examples include actors of various ethnicities being asked to ‘do a Middle-Eastern accent,' to sound ‘more Asian,' or Eastern European actors being repeatedly auditioned for the role of a prostitute due to a lack of other options.
Anecdotal evidence from respondent comments suggests that securing an audition can be difficult for actors from various communities, with Gypsy actors reportedly unable to find representation from agencies, Hispanic actors not being recognized as an ethnicity, and a lack of understanding of the many complexities of Asian ethnicities and nationalities.
“Casting is one of the most crucial components of attaining true and accurate diversity, inclusion, and equity in the acting profession,” wrote Sir Lenny Henry, Chancellor of Birmingham City University and founder of the Centre for Media Diversity there, in the report's foreword. It is the basis upon which everything else is built.
“It's a sad reminder of why casting is so crucial every time we see a wonderful actor like Thandiwe Newton, Idris Elba, or David Harewood leave these shores in search of possibilities denied to them in the UK."
The majority of poll respondents felt the workplace atmosphere to be troublesome as well. Hair and make-up artists' knowledge of non-white physical traits has been proven to be extremely troublesome for actors of color, with actors of African-Caribbean ancestry being particularly disadvantaged.
“This poll has exposed how much work the entertainment business has to do to solve the systematic disparities that harm performers of all minority ethnic communities,” stated report author, diversity researcher, and writer Dr. Jami Rogers. The performers' comments reveal the sad reality they sometimes face when all they want to do is make a job doing something they love.”
The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity (LHC) is a new research institute that brings together prominent media executives and academics.