“No wonder you have a diversity problem”: Hollywood’s systemic gatekeeping against assistants of color

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC) assistants in Hollywood, focusing on those who work for above-the-line creatives and executives. I argue that despite Hollywood industry’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the logics and mechanisms of whiteness remain deeply ingrained in Hollywood’s treatment of entry-level workers. The article is divided into three sections: first, it historicizes post-Civil Rights Hollywood and maps it onto present-day US and Hollywood cultural whiteness; second, it analyzes how Hollywood industry gatekeeps BIPOC assistants using interviews, demographic information, and survey responses; and finally, it considers ways to create more equitable working structures within Hollywood. The article highlights the unpublicized harm behind entertainment media and the need for greater attention to the experiences of BIPOC workers in Hollywood.