When it comes to telling diverse stories as well as having diversity represented behind the camera, Hollywood has made many strides since “inclusion rider” became the buzz word at the 2018 Academy Awards. But there’s still much, much work to do.
At the Primetime Emmys, where some of the brightest stars walked the red carpet, ESSENCE asked how they feel about the progress of diversity on and off camera.
Many of them feel the needle is moving. Ryan Michelle Bathe, one of the stars of BET+’s new show First Wives Club, said, “Every single episode [of the show] was directed by a woman and some of them are new and some of them weren’t. And everybody was given a chance to collaborate.”
“You know what’s important?” She continued, “Real diversity is giving people a chance to fail.”
Bathe’s husband, This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown added, “And not worry that your failure will prohibit other folks from coming out behind.”
Check out the video above to see what Taraji P. Henson, Omar Dorsey (Queen Sugar and When They See Us) and more of your faves think.