Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism

by Nancy Wang Yuen

When the 2016 Oscar acting nominations all went to whites for the second consecutive year, #OscarsSoWhite became a trending topic. Yet these enduring racial biases afflict not only the Academy Awards, but also Hollywood as a whole. Why do actors of color, despite exhibiting talent and bankability, continue to lag behind white actors in presence and prominence?  

Reel Inequality examines the structural barriers minority actors face in Hollywood, while shedding light on how they survive in a racist industry. The book charts how white male gatekeepers dominate Hollywood, breeding a culture of ethnocentric storytelling and casting. Nancy Wang Yuen interviewed nearly a hundred working actors and drew on published interviews with celebrities, such as Viola Davis, Chris Rock, Gina Rodriguez, Oscar Isaac, Lucy Liu, and Ken Jeong, to explore how racial stereotypes categorize and constrain actors. Their stories reveal the day-to-day racism actors of color experience in talent agents’ offices, at auditions, and on sets. Yuen also exposes sexist hiring and programming practices, highlighting the structural inequalities that actors of color, particularly women, continue to face in Hollywood. 
 
This book not only conveys the harsh realities of racial inequality in Hollywood, but also provides vital insights from actors who have succeeded on their own terms, whether by sidestepping the system or subverting it from within. Considering how their struggles impact real-world attitudes about race and diversity, Reel Inequality follows actors of color as they suffer, strive, and thrive in Hollywood. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Film, History, Pop Culture, Social Justice, Media Tie In

208 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 2016

About the author

Nancy Wang Yuen is a sociologist and pop culture geek. Her book, Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism, examines the barriers actors of color face in Hollywood and how they creatively challenge stereotypes. Nancy enjoys reading YA dystopic novels, singing karaoke, and taking her kids to the local library.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a well-written work of nonfiction about the racism that Hollywood actors face and what we can do to combat that racism. Nancy Wang Yuen details the many ways racism manifests in Hollywood, including but not limited to: the erasure of stories centered on people of color, how actors of color get pressured into playing stereotypical and demeaning portrayals of people of color, and the sexualization and fetishization of women of color in the industry specifically. I loved how Yuen names racism and does not shy away from labeling it as such. Furthermore, she writes in an accessible way, allowing us to understand and empathize with people of color while still appreciating the rigor of her academic analysis. Though I wasn’t surprised by these actors’ experiences, I did feel so angry at the dehumanizing racism they faced and the cluelessness, apathy, and lack of self-awareness that white people in power demonstrated again and again. These actors want to create quality art and seeing their hopes and ambitions diminished felt so freaking unjust, all the more reason I feel grateful to Yuen for writing this book.

I liked too how Yuen writes about the ways in which actors of color resist racism. She also details specific strategies people outside of Hollywood can take to address this issue, like supporting the art of people of color and explicitly calling out racist tropes in media through social media, boycotts, petitions, and other methods. I felt grateful for these sections because we should all take action to support and empower actors of color. We also should interrogate the overwhelming whiteness present in our media instead of passively absorbing it.

On a side note, I play tennis somewhat frequently with this queer white man (oops lol if he somehow stumbles upon this review) and at one point he told me about how he’s into fit white guys because that’s the ideal promoted in magazines and such. He literally said he felt like it’s “too late” to change the type of guy he’s attracted to. I felt so annoyed because like, even if that is the ideal promoted in magazines and related media, you can literally take action to address that?? Consume more diverse media?? Interrogate your own Eurocentric and fatphobic desires?? Stop injecting my life with mediocre passivity in the face of white supremacy?? Anyway, I share this somewhat random anecdote to emphasize the importance of Yuen providing tangible actions we can take to fight the issue of racism in Hollywood, as that provides readers with a felt sense of agency and tools to enact agency.

This book came out in late 2016 so it may feel a bit dated given some recent prominent examples of films and TV shows centering people of color. However, racism in the industry is still an issue as evidenced by the cast of Kim’s Convenience speaking out about anti-Asian racism they faced. My one primary constructive critique of this book centers on Yuen’s suggestion that white writers should take more initiative to write stories about people of color. While I get the intention of that suggestion, to provide roles for actors of color, I feel like we should advocate more for writers and executives of color to tell those stories and supply those roles for actors of color (see Myriam Gurba's great takedown of American Dirt for the literary version of this take.) Still, I’d recommend this book, and it encourages me to continue prioritizing media centering people of color, produced by people of color.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the red pill in The Matrix, Reel Inequality peels back Hollywood's curtain of fantasy to reveal a complex filtration system put in place to maintain the status quo. If you've ever wondered why the racial and cultural representation in modern day film and television fails to mirror the real world--and doubly so if you haven't--this book is a must-read!

Compelling firsthand accounts from industry insiders (ranging from struggling working actors all the way to A-list celebrities) illuminate the extra hurdles imposed on anyone who deviates from "the norm". Likewise, meticulously researched facts and figures point to the restrictive power of gatekeepers who guard each and every level of the Hollywood machine. But the best part of this book is its hopeful message: You can be the change. The reader is presented with simple ways to find and support diverse projects, recognize what to avoid, and use social media to make a difference. And you'll want to, because after reading Reel Inequality, you'll never see film and television the same way again.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reel Inequality looks at Hollywood racism and the treatment given to actors of colour. I always knew that Hollywood was discriminatory, but Nancy Wang Yuen is able to give stats and numbers to show just how racist and prejudiced Hollywood actually is. Did you know that you're more likely to see an alien than an Asian woman in a movie? Wang Yuen discusses the double bind that actors of colour face when they have to take on stereotypical roles because there are no other roles for them. She also talks about how playing ethnic stereotypes can be traumatizing for actors of colour, and discusses how the gatekeepers and every aspect of the movie world perpetuate whiteness. This book is based on Wang Yuen's thesis, and contains a lot of research. She interviewed numerous actors of colour, and read a lot of publications.

Since she's a sociology prof, this book is a bit academic, but part of my undergraduate degree was in sociology, so I didn't really mind.

[Terrance Tupper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. I've always watched movies and tv shows and made fun of the fact that there was no diversity whatsoever, or that white people get cast as other ethnicities, while other races are restricted to playing stereotypes and caricatures. And I've always wondered how come Latinos are like 20% of Americans, but virtually invisible in the media.

The answer is rampant racism and white dominance in Hollywood, and this book lays out exactly how it works, from the racist white casting agents to the racist white studio executives to the racist white writers, directors, and executive producers.

Now the recent reaction from the writers on The Simpsons to the Problem With Apu controversy makes sense; they aren't stupid or delusional, they're literally a writing room jam packed with racist white men with virtually no Southeast Asian associates.

Anyways this book is awesome, and I wish Matt Damon, after what he said about diversity in Hollywood, would be held at gunpoint and forced to read it.

[Nancy Yuen]

As the first in my family to earn a doctorate and to write a book, I am indebted to the 100+ actors' voices who sustained me through sixteen years of research and writing. I hope these voices can inform the world about racism in Hollywood, and inspire us to work toward a just society. Peace, Nancy

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading an early copy. Reel Inequality takes a popular topic, provides sociological analysis and makes it accessible to the average reader. I highly recommend it!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. Nancy Yuen manages to express so many of the frustrations I've felt over Hollywood and misrepresentation for years. But she does so eloquently and in a crystal clear way.

[Kandace · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible text on the perils of a hollywood built on white supremacy. A must read for those engaging in media and race.

[Gemini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding, so well written. What a great read. A topic that most pope don't pay attention to yet needs to be addressed, most definitely. I was mesmerized by the things she discusses & how white the industry is. After the whole debacle of #oscarssowhite came out a few years ago, I think more people became aware of the problem. Not many really focus on how shows & movies over the years have an entire white cast like Friends, Seinfeld, endless movies w/out any diversity. It's completely shameful. How this happened is essentially what she writes about w/ a system that isn't just broken but it was never set up for POC to succeed. Considering that this has been a struggle for so many people over the years & continues to be hurdle after hurdle. Even though there are certain channels/networks that are set up w/ POC like Univision, BET, etc. but it certainly isn't enough. The other issue is white people don't even notice or pay attention to these issues & rarely do anything to change it. Why is that? Why are white people portraying storylines meant for POC anyway? There has been backlash in the past w/ certain people & movies where this has been in the news instead of being swept under the rug. So I guess that's a start.
So when was the last time you watched something by an entire POC cast?

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing upon Yuen's dissertation, this book -- at the start overall, and by sections -- tells you what it is going to demonstrate and then does it, making it very clear and organized.

I remember first adding it to my reading list when there was discussion about the reasons diversity does not happen, and no matter what examples you gave of films with diverse casts doing well or films with white casts flopping, there was always someone giving a reason why that was a fluke and it was all about profits, and doing what would make money. As it is, some people may prefer racism to financial success, though they may be in denial about that.

What sticks with me most is the stories of working actors having to choose between working and taking jobs that are soul-killing, not always but too often. And while the actors may be a small percentage of the population, what they put on the screen matters for those who do not see themselves, or only see themselves portrayed as crude stereotypes, and it matters for even those who get plenty of representation of themselves, and thus come away with a skewed view of the world.

[Petty Lisbon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an alright book. I think that there were too many statistics cited back to back where they all kind of blurred together after a while but I really enjoyed the interviews she had with working actors. I liked how she included individual vs institutional actions. I enjoyed reading about how famous actors, whether they're sitcom regulars or A list, deal with racism on set. I was surprised to learn about groups like the East West Players, because even on the Internet, I never hear them get brought up. It's weird reading this book because it came out when TV was getting a little more diverse with showrunners like Lee Daniels and Shonda Rhimes and ABC's different sitcoms but movies still were white, but I feel like a lot of the TV progress slowed down. I wish she spoke about colorism more. I also don't know how this could've been mentioned, but I'd like to hear more about the impact of the disappearance of Black sitcoms and shows from Fox, UPN, and the WB in the 90's and 2000's or why they all seemed to go out at once. This was a good introduction to the topic.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through research and original interviews, Nancy Wang Yuen covers a plurality of problems within Hollywood. Not only are diverse roles lacking within film and television, but agents can keep their clients away from roles, writers and directors can unveil their inherent prejudices, and stereotypical roles can reinforce negative perceptions of minorities. I appreciate that this book focuses on the actors who must navigate these barriers and the compromises they may or may not make in order to make a living in a field they love.

However, this isn't a book to just point out the staggering flaws within the media. Yuen notes advances (or perceived advances, in some cases) within the industry and also presents actionable suggestions for industry folks and audiences to encourage diversity. Being informed is the first step, and I know I will be a more mindful viewer of diverse entertainment because of this book.

[Bradley Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy Wang Yuen does a nice job of creating a fluid narrative about racism in Hollywood, primarily reliant on interviews that she has conducted with content creators over the last 10 years. I read the book to see if there was any content I could glean from it for a course I teach called "Media & the Marginalized" and there definitely was. Many of her examples are vivid, and easy to apply in way that sheds light on Hollywood racism for the most novice Hollywood explorer. Some of the material gets a bit repetitive, and at times I lost the argument that she was attempting to make given the tangential nature of some anecdotes. Overall, the "take-away" points are conclusions that are already largely known in the industry (no big "ah-ha" moments in this text). However, the text is well-written and easily digestible.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yuen explores very slowly changing attitudes in media about Asian characters and actors. She interview a pretty small sample of actors for stories about their casting experiences. Anyone who has paid attention to media casting in the last twenty years will find no surprises here. Apparently she directed a documentary about the Chinese government's actions in promoting the teaching of Chinese in American schools, Mass Confucian: Chinese Language or Propaganda... but I can't find it anywhere, and it isn't listed in IMDB. I've emailed her publisher... waiting for a response.

[KK Rebecca Lai]

I picked up this book to do a bit of research on a story about Asian actors in the Oscars, and really enjoyed it. The breadth of the research is evident from the detailed data arguments and the vast number of anecdotes from actors of color who have struggled in Hollywood. I'm so glad that I live in a time when the lack of diversity in TV and film is being recognized and strides are being made. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" really hit all the sweet spots for me, sci-fi, Michelle Yeoh, the relationships in an Asian family. I really loved it.

[Bina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. One thing- Gurinder Chadha directed Bend it Like Beckham, not Mira Nair.

[Elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading in every school. This book opened my eyes and now I’ll never watch a movie or show in the same way again. It’s also helped me educate others. Highly recommend!!!

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-researched but somewhat woodenly written compendium of the many issues that affect actors of color in the film industry. A good reference volume but not overly engaging to read.

[Kathy Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5