Ava DuVernay, an Unexpected Independent Black Queen in Hollywood?

Abstract:This essay analyzes the ambiguous position of Ava DuVernay in Hollywood. After a late-career change to filmmaking, DuVernay has been catapulted to a position of power and privilege at the core of the industry. I interrogate her surprising trajectory as well as her still in-between posture: How does she reconcile being from the independent world and wearing as a badge of honor having been able to craft works on her own with having become a major Hollywood powerhouse? How does she cope with her desire to tell Black people's stories and having recently reached a select position in a predominantly White and male industry?