Actor Michael B. Jordan has called on Hollywood to hire more black creators, as he put the spotlight on the lack of racial parity in Hollywood during a Black Lives Matter protest over the weekend.
The Just Mercy actor was part of a march organised by the big four agencies, CAA, UTA, WME and ICM Partners, in Los Angeles on Saturday.
While speaking about film roles that he has taken on in his career that highlight racial inequality and prejudice, Jordan urged Hollywood to take the opportunity to reflect on a culture that has seen little content made by black creatives get promoted.
“You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020,” he said during the protest in Century City on Saturday. “Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content led by black executives, black consultants?”he said before adding:
“Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light.”
Jordan also encouraged Hollywood to stop working with police, saying they should opt for private security consultants instead.
“Anybody that deals with me, if you have racist beliefs, if you have a racist bone in your body, if you’re not with me, if you don’t stand with me and people that look like me, you don’t need to be with me,” he said. “I use my power to demand diversity but it’s time that studios and agencies … do so.”
He also said his own production company had made a commitment to higher black creatives.
“I want us to invest in Black staff,” Jordan said, “I’m proud to have an inclusion rider and all that good stuff, and I use my power to demand diversity, but it’s time the studios and agencies and all these buildings we stand in front of to do the same.”
The demonstration was one of many in Los Angeles as thousands continued to march across the country in support of Black Lives Matter, speaking out against the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and police brutality.
