Warner’s Kevin Tsujihara reckons diversity makes good business sense
LOS ANGELES: Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros. chairman and chief executive, reckons that diversity is good for business.
He made this remark after receiving his Visionary Leadership award at a US-China entertainment gala dinner on Tuesday.
“To maintain our relevance and creative excellence we need to work with new voices to tell new stories, stories that reflect a global perspective, from the faces we see on screen to those writing the scripts and on set, or making the magic happen in the editing room,” said Tsujihara, the first Asian American to head a major Hollywood studio. That was partly why he had faith in the creative ideas presented by Jon M Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians.
Added Tsujihara: “We all must ensure that there is greater inclusion of women, people of colour, LGBT+ community, those with disabilities and underrepresented groups both in front of and behind the camera. We know it is right and we know it works.”
Citing the box office success of US-Chinese co-production “The Meg and Crazy Rich Asians, with its all-Asian cast, he said that “diversity not only feels good; it is good for the bottom line.”
“Audiences are hungry for great stories,” Tsujihara said. “And it doesn’t matter if the characters are black or white, Asian or Latino, male or female, gay, straight or transgender.”
Warner Bros. is “recognising the importance, value and power of diversity in our content and our people,” he said, noting the studio’s “production diversity policy.”