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All for diversity
February 26, 2007
As famed actor Louis Gossett Jr. walked into the press junket for Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, I couldn’t help but notice his shirt. It had a picture of Earth with multi-colored holding hands under the word “Eracism.” Another reporter also noticed and commented she had the same shirt.
His shirt seemed to predict today’s topic of interest: diversity in the entertainment industry, particularly in regards to the latest film from African-American director Perry, whose last theatrical, Madea’s Family Reunion, had an opening weekend gross of $30 million.
While discussing Girls, Gossett described the director as bringing “optimism” and “respect” to the film industry, which are attributes that attracts the top actors, himself included of course. “It’s the best working with Perry. He shares his wealth,” he said.
The 70-year-old actor, who has been in the business for more than 50 years, also reflected on the upcoming Oscars race, which includes nominations for black actors Will Smith, Forest Whitaker, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson. “It’s time,” he noted simply.
Known for her groundbreaking appearance as the first African-American character on Friends, co-star Gabrielle Union believes diversity in entertainment can’t wait and is already happening, especially in TV, citing such shows as Grey’s Anatomy.
Union was less reflective on the impact of her roles, however, explaining she was unaware of the importance of her Friends role but needed to pay the mortgage.
For Girls, Perry wrote the role of Julia, a hardworking lawyer who has little time for love, specifically for Union, who has been a fan of his work since watching Diary of a Mad Black Woman on an airplane.
Perry’s Valentine to film audiences—Girls streeted Feb. 14—aims to be one-half romantic comedy (can a high-class lawyer and a blue-collar worker fall in love?) and one-half family drama (can a father win custody of his three daughters from his drug-dealing ex-wife?). And though it’s occasionally overacted, the film does provide an alternative to the typical cinematic portrayal of black men as gangsters or drug-dealers.
Yep, it’s certainly good to have more diversity in the cinematic landscape … and more diverse roles for African-Americans.
What’s even better: Perry’s films translate well to the home video market. His last three DVDs sold 3.6 million units during street week.
Leaving the press junket, I felt optimistic about the future of the film industry. I also wondered where I could get Gossett’s shirt. —Cheryl Cheng
Posted by on February 26, 2007 | Comments (0)
