Producers are casting more minority actors this season than ever before.
TV executives are casting more minority actors now than ever before. With recent studies showing that people are interested in watching more and more diverse TV shows such as Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, and Empire, producers are hiring more minorities for TV pilots.
ABC’s success this season “proves the point that audiences are hungry for shows that are well done but also reflect the world around us,” said Channing Dungey, exec VP of drama development, movies and miniseries for ABC. “It’s not about just diversity, it’s about authenticity. Audiences are really excited to see more of themselves on the screen.”
A lot of the success of today’s TV series comes from ABC’s Scandal. Kerry Washington’s hit TV drama was one of the first hit TV shows featuring an African American woman in several decades.
“It’s been interesting to see how much more competitive it is with diverse actors and actresses now,” said Dungey, who added that she is proud ABC helped lead the way, not just with “Murder” but with the blossoming of Kerry Washington and “Scandal” into the first successful drama in decades led by an African-American actress.
“The thing I really hope is that this isn’t a passing phase,” Dungey said. “I’m hoping this is a trend that will continue.”
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