BBC News: Historical dramas 'limit UK black actors'
"Actress Thandie Newton has said she "can't work" in the UK because there are no roles for black and minority ethnic actors in historical dramas.
London-born Newton said the number of costume dramas had led to "slim pickings for people of colour".
Her criticism comes after British Film Institute research found that 59% of UK films since 2006 had no black actors in any role.
Newton's next UK TV role will see her appear in BBC One's Line of Duty.
Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, the mother-of-three said: "I love being here, but I can't work, because I can't do Downton Abbey, can't be in Victoria, can't be in Call The Midwife - well, I could, but I don't want to play someone who's being racially abused." "
Currently around 87% of the UK population is white, but even as recently as 2001 it was over 92%. Go back to the years of what would count as "historical," and it was even higher. It's a bit of a no-brainer that in programmes like Downton there could be few if any non-white faces, although while I stopped watching Midwife a few series back, being set in London's East End they were far from rare.
All that notwithstanding, I'm tempted to question Newton's perception, given that she been working predominantly in the US for so long. British TV drama is absolutely awash with non-white actors, but the vast majority of it doesn't get shown in the US.
I'm also very dubious about the BFI's 59% claim, and it seems it comes from this Guardian article, which actually states that it is films that have "no named black characters" which is obviously somewhat different from "no black actors in any role."
This bit also prompts reference back to the actual demographics:
"The BFI study, which will form part of a comprehensive examination of UK films from 1911 to the present day, found that only four black British actors featured in a list of the 100 most prolific actors in British films. The figures showed little improvement in diverse casting over the past decade, even in years in which more films were released. "
Even in 2011 only 3% of the UK population was black, so 4% representation amongst
"100 most prolific actors in British films" doesn't actually jar.
"Actress Thandie Newton has said she "can't work" in the UK because there are no roles for black and minority ethnic actors in historical dramas.
London-born Newton said the number of costume dramas had led to "slim pickings for people of colour".
Her criticism comes after British Film Institute research found that 59% of UK films since 2006 had no black actors in any role.
Newton's next UK TV role will see her appear in BBC One's Line of Duty.
Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, the mother-of-three said: "I love being here, but I can't work, because I can't do Downton Abbey, can't be in Victoria, can't be in Call The Midwife - well, I could, but I don't want to play someone who's being racially abused." "
Currently around 87% of the UK population is white, but even as recently as 2001 it was over 92%. Go back to the years of what would count as "historical," and it was even higher. It's a bit of a no-brainer that in programmes like Downton there could be few if any non-white faces, although while I stopped watching Midwife a few series back, being set in London's East End they were far from rare.
All that notwithstanding, I'm tempted to question Newton's perception, given that she been working predominantly in the US for so long. British TV drama is absolutely awash with non-white actors, but the vast majority of it doesn't get shown in the US.
I'm also very dubious about the BFI's 59% claim, and it seems it comes from this Guardian article, which actually states that it is films that have "no named black characters" which is obviously somewhat different from "no black actors in any role."
This bit also prompts reference back to the actual demographics:
"The BFI study, which will form part of a comprehensive examination of UK films from 1911 to the present day, found that only four black British actors featured in a list of the 100 most prolific actors in British films. The figures showed little improvement in diverse casting over the past decade, even in years in which more films were released. "
Even in 2011 only 3% of the UK population was black, so 4% representation amongst
"100 most prolific actors in British films" doesn't actually jar.
via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/2nSQlM1
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