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Luz Garcia

Professor Lawrence

English 113B

12 April 2017

Word Count:

Research Paper: Diversity in Hollywood

Have you ever wondered why in Hollywood there is not more of a diversity of actors and

actresses that have led a successful career in the Hollywood industry?Although Hispanics/

Latinos, Asians, African-Americans an the population in Hollywood and the LA area, only a few

have been given the chance to develop and begin a career. For example, Mexican actor Eugenio

Derbez and Mexican actress Salma Hayek have had a role in American Films. Films such as

Furious 7,Creed,and Star Wars are successful films with diverse casts, the USC

researchers have been studying media representation of women and minorities for the past

decade and found that the numbers have not budged (Fritz ). They have been acknowledged,

received awards, and received a star with their name in Hollywood, due to their great

achievement in the film industry. Most of the celebrities that come from different countries and

racial backgrounds have difficult times because they are immigrants and they have to do certain

things to obtain a role in a film in Hollywood.

For these celebrities to even get there they have to work hard to get a position in

Hollywood. In Hollywood there is racial discrimination for not being American or coming from

a different country. Studies have shown that foreign actresses and actors get payed more than

American actor and actresses. Many hispanic actors and actresses have not obtained Hollywood
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roles lately and have not be represented and discriminated, but they make the movie industry

flourish (Galloway).Without these Hispanic celebrities Hollywood would not have that much

popularity as it has now and in their industry. Hispanics are particularly underrepresented in the

movie business, accounting for just 2.7% of leading characters on screen, according to the USC

study, and less than 5% of the production executives at major studios. Hispanics make up 17%

of the U.S. population and bought 23% of movie tickets in 2014, making them the most frequent

moviegoers of any ethnic group (Fritz ).

Studies have shown that the success of Hispanics and other minority groups to have

obtained main, principle, or protagonist roles in the films in comparison to white actor and

actresses. A University of Southern California Study released Sunday found that 22% of leading

characters in movies released in 2014 came from minority groups (Dombroski). Just 13% of

those 109 movies directors were nonwhite(Dombrowski). Even though the outstanding work

these foreign celebrities do they are racially discriminated by their racial background and where

they come from. They have stated many stereotypes and not hired enough Hispanic actors and

actresses or people that come from a different country. Among minorities who have worked in

the trenches of Hollywood and seen diversity debates flare up over the years and then simmer

with little substantive change, skepticism abounds (Fritz 16).

If there would be no diversity expanding or increasing Hollywood would not have the

fame and market as it has today in the 21st century. All these prejudices against people of color

working in the Hollywood industry have affected the industry because if they would not be in the

industry they would have lower a lower market sales with their films and popularity worldwide

as it is today. Some, however, believe that with younger, more-diverse audiences increasingly
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hard to lure to theaters, studios face increased pressure to change than in the past (Fritz 16).

Hollywood is acknowledging that would they did before has to change and their industry is being

affected. They have to acknowledge that these celebrities that come form different countries are

talented despite their racial background. In the article it describes Guilty By Color Brings

Together Diverse Talents, Proves Hollywood Love Affair with Mafia Continues: is a film of

institutional prejudice can have on individuals, racism issues, and police injustice This film

provides an example of white supremacist ideals and discrimination on minority groups like for

example, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, (etc). The Film Guilt By Color had a

diverse talented cast they played important roles that many immigrants face when they

immigrate to the United States. The discrimination and racism has been exposed in the daily

lives of thousands of immigrants in many states of the U.S.A.

They have been racially discriminated and seen as inferior in comparison to the American

citizens and U.S residents of the United States of America. Especially in the Hollywood industry

most of the people they hire for their film roles have to be Caucasian and the main protagonists

are mostly people of light skin color. For example, in Disney films such as Cinderella, Beauty

and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and many other Disney princesses. Most of the people that play

the maid character and a gardening character are people of color who are getting that role in the

film. They are not light skin and they are people of mostly of darker skin, Their physical

characteristics are is their skin is not that light. Most of the people that want a role in a film are

discriminated by their race, color, and social status. Many of the people that are from a different

country who have made it to the Hollywood industry have detailed described the struggles of

working in the United States.

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Most of them face the struggle with the language because they have to American accent, and

most still have the accent they have from their home country where they left to come to work in

the United States. Many people of color are treated unequally then the rest of the world who

audition. Many testimonies and celebrities of many different nationalities have commented that

in the auditions they have been discriminated by their race, color of skin, their physical

appearance, and the way they talk. The Hollywood industry does need people of color in their

films because now most of the viewers who are watching these high gross films franchises are

Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and people from many different countries. In their

opinion they would like to see actors and actresses of their same race being part of the films. Not

so long ago, the Hollywood business was falling down on budget sales of their films because

they did not hire people of color enough and people did not wanted to spend money to go see the

films they had done. They have always had that problem of not hiring people of color and at the

end it affects their business and there business is not the same as it was before.

But now later in the 20th century they decided to incorporate Hispanic characters and

many other characters from many backgrounds in their films. This change was due to their

economic loss in the industry they did not wanted to stay behind to other movie businesses. They

wanted to stay on top of their sales, because if they would not sell then they would lose their

industry forever. In order to keep making more films they need people to view their films and

make them as more interesting as possible. It is hard to imagine that a successful business like

Hollywood would stop from existing due to the low dropping economic sales. Many celebrities

have obtained popularity and success through the films they have done even though they are

people of color. Even though they have been discriminated and had tough times in the United
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States they have been able to accomplish their possibly dreams of working in Hollywood and

even gained success and popularity throughout the movie roles they have played. Most of the

people who work in the auditioning place dont know that even though these celebrities come

from a different country they have an amazing talent. These form of discrimination should stop

and no matter what race these celebrities are from what country they are talented people. Without

them they would not have the great success that the industry has now and still continues to

expand and increase and be creative with their characters. Due to these changes Hollywood has

began to flourish and succeed in comparison to the other years that they have not had a wide

range of diversity of actors and actresses to give role in their films and T.V. shows.

Many of the people dont realize that to get a role in Hollywood you need to work hard in

order to obtain the dream goal. It is not just going to be accomplished you need to aim to be

talented and obtain success in your projects. Most of the celebrities that started have already

acted and done many films, but to get a role in Hollywood they have had to have success in there

previous projects before attending an audition. If they see they have no talent they would not be

hired for the job. It is harder for people of color to obtain these roles because they only want to

hire Caucasian people and not include people of color in their films. They have had negative

effects of not hiring people of color, but they have changed throughout the years because now

more diverse casts have been seen, but in roles that correspond to them. Many of the Hispanic

roles are given to people who are Hispanic or have Latin blood or descendants and people who

are not that light skin. Women get roles such as maids and other roles that in real life many

Hispanic people have as jobs and for the most part the Americans dont want (Vourvoulias). Men

also obtain roles that assimilate with their minority group.

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Works Cited Page

Fritz, Ben. 2016. Hollywood Shines Spotlight on Diversity. Wall Street Journal, (2016): B.1

Dombrowski, Tara. Diversity in Hollywood. University Wire, (2016):

Galloway, Stephen, and Galloway. Game Plan: According to Some Diversity in Hollywoods

Executive Ranks Breeds Success for All.

Hollywood Reporter, 393.15 (2006): s-1

Dombrowski, Tara. Diversity in Hollywood. University Wire, (2016):

Vourvoulias. Sabrina. Hollywood Typecasting Limits Latinas to Sexualized Roles. The Boston

Banner, 50.3 (2014): 14

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