Issa Rae feels that diversity problem still exists in Hollywood
It’s 2021 and Hollywood still has an inclusion problem. Actor-director Issa Rae has recently spoken out against the issue of lack of diversity in American films and shows. In an interview with Mic, Issa took a stroll down memory lane and recalled how a former co-worker once told her to always include a white character in her TV shows, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“She was just like, ‘Girl, if you want this s**t to set off to the next level, you got to put a white character in there, then white people will care about it, then NPR is going to write about your s**t, and it’ll blow up,” Issa said.
Issa took her advice seriously and added a white character to the cast of Awkward Black Girl before it was released in 2011.
She once again heeded the advice when she developed Insecure, which in its early seasons featured the character Freida, a white woman and co-worker of Issa Dee’s.
According to the publication, early iterations of the show heavily featured the character and raised the question about whether Freida should be more heavily included so white viewers could connect.
“And I was like, F**k no! This is not a show about Freida. That was when I started actively resisting. When Issa quit work and we got rid of the We Got Y’all storyline, I realised, ‘Oh my gosh, our show is just about Black characters now in the most refreshing way’”.
Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson was recently involved in a physical altercation while at a bar in Washington DC, USA. People magazine reported that the 60-year-old actor struck a man who tried to attack him.
Authorities told the outlet that they believe Harrelson acted “in self-defence” as the other individual involved had allegedly been drinking and was taking photographs of Harrelson and one of his daughters. Harrelson had “approached the man and requested him to delete the photos” before an argument occurred and the man “lunged” at the star.
According to the police, Harrelson said that the man tried to grab his neck and that he punched the man in self-defence.
The actor was in Washington DC filming an upcoming series. The news outlet reported that it was not immediately known who called authorities to the scene, but police said they have numerous witnesses to speak with.
As per People magazine, the man who allegedly took photos of Harrelson was questioned in his hotel room and charges are currently pending. Police told that the name of the man involved will be released once he is charged. Till then, the investigation remains ongoing.
AUTHORITIES SAID THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL HAD ALLEGEDLY BEEN DRINKING AND WAS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF HARRELSON AND ONE OF HIS DAUGHTERS.