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Hollywood needs to be inclusive to reflect its global appeal

The recently-concluded 88th Annual Academy Awards had been mired in controversy for the lack of racial diversity among the nominations. The US is perhaps the most diverse nation on the face of the earth as one can find every ethnic and religious group in the country. The lack of diversity was the underlying and recurring theme during the Oscar presentation ceremony on Feb 29.

It is only in cinema that there is little diversity as in the other sectors such as sports, music, politics, academics and others it is not so obvious. However, it must be noted that the US is also a nation of meritocracy, where only the best and the deserving clinch the top spot. One finds affirmative action policies in the socio-economic sphere only and nowhere else.

There had been a lot of diversity in Hollywood in decades past featuring native Americans, African-Americans, Arabs, Hispanics, Europeans, Japanese, Chinese and others. Today the US is more multi-racial and pluralistic than before and could do well with more diversity and colour.

Hollywood films are raking in billions of dollars annually worldwide and Hollywood needs to be more globalised in terms of the cast and credits. With more films based on fiction and sci-fi the situation is right to add some diversity to these genres of films and it will be to Hollywood’s advantage to case the net wide to include various races and ethnic groups to act in these films.

The Academy cannot be faulted as being racist as in the foreign film category a large number of non-European movies have won the Oscars as the emphasis is on quality.

With the latest controversy and negative publicity, it is hoped that pressure will build up in Hollywood to give diversity a big boost by providing important acting roles to non-whites to enable them to be nominated and win Oscars. Unless there are numerous non-white actors and actresses and others in prominent and meaningful roles, there is no way for them to be nominated, let alone win the coveted awards.

The Hollywood cinema industry has to take sustainable initiation for an inclusive approach that also reflects the diversity of the US, and not be content with tokenism, symbolism, gestures that fizzle out in the long run and bring back the situation to the status quo.

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