Today’s #MondayMythDebunker felt appropriate.
This statement is an excuse. Using the push for diversity is an “easy” way for actors to feel like they have a sense of control and explanation as to why a career in acting is hard.
Acting is hard because the job itself is… pretty dang hard. And because there are a lot of good actors in the world.
But the truth is that the best actor wins the job. And MANY times that is a Black person or person of color.
Note: This is not about making it harder for white actors, it’s about accurately portraying reality.
There are a million and two reasons why you might not have gotten a callback or a booking and blaming it on diversity is a tool to help you justify that. But it’s not accurate.
Seeing more BIPOC on TV isn’t just an HR initiative, it’s a more accurate representation of the world.
The scary part is, you’re just not used to seeing it.
It doesn’t feel 100% normal… yet. So to “normalize” it, we might say or think things to help us compartmentalize two noticeable things 1) there are more breakdowns out calling for diversity and 2) I’m not booking as much as I want to. However, one does not lead to the other.
While yes, we are making an active push to be inclusive & diverse in our casting (and yes, there is still a long way to go), this push is not a slippery slope to you not booking more work.
Things you can focus on instead:
☑ Your auditioning skills
☑ Your research skills
☑ Your listening skills
☑ Your commitment
☑ Your confidence
☑ Your mental health
☑ Your thoughts
Diversity is not taking away white roles. Diversity is balancing the scales.
And I promise you, your world will be elevated because of it.
#themoreyouknow#mondaymythdebunkers