Emmys: Watch Issa Rae, America Ferrera & Lena Waithe Share Early Experiences That Sparked Drive For Diversity

On Sunday night’s Emmy Awards broadcast, Issa Rae, America Ferrera and Lena Waithe shared stories of early auditions, pitch meetings and TV watching that would fuel their motivation, as actresses and creators of color, to work for more diversity and inclusion in the industry. Insecure creator-star Rae recalled her first Hollywood pitch with a non-Black executive praising Rae’s web series. “Funny stuff,” Rae quoted the exec, “Black woman and Black woman problems, hilarious.” “And I was like, ‘That’s not what it’s about, but OK,’” Rae said. The boom was lowered when the exec requested Rae use more familiar actors because that’s what Black audiences favor. “Why does he get to tell me what people like me like to see?” Rae said, adding that the experience provided the motivation she needed to “bet on myself.” “One of us got fired after that,” she added with a laugh. Emmys And Diversity: Strides For People Of Color In Major Acting Categories; Huge Win For Black Actors And LGBTQ Representation Director, producer and Superstore star Ferrera said her first audition at age 16 inspired her to work toward greater representation in the entertainment industry. Describing her teenage self as “a little, brown, chubby […]

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