Issa Rae has had enough of what she sees as a lack of true diversity on screen. The actress has spoken out against systemic racism and a lack of opportunity for Black professionals within the movie and TV industries.
“You’re seeing so many Black shows get canceled, you’re seeing so many executives… get canned,” Issa told Porter magazine. “You’re seeing very clearly now that our stories are less of a priority.”
Issa, who also starred in “American Fiction” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” in 2023, explained she partly attributes the decreasing diversity in Hollywood storytelling to the rise of streaming services and its algorithmic drivers.
“I am pessimistic because there’s no one holding anybody accountable,” the 39-year-old said. “I can’t force you to make my stuff.”
The actress, who is also a successful writer and producer in addition to her thriving acting career, said she had noticed a tendency in Hollywood to tell only those stories about Black communities that portray disadvantage, trauma and dysfunction. And she attributed this directly to white audiences’ appetite for those kinds of depictions.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that many white audiences and critics tend to reward traumatizing depictions or their own biased perceptions of what Blackness is,” Issa said. “It’s frustrating.”