Race and power in Hollywood

The 93rd annual Academy Awards made history even before the Oscars were handed out on Sunday night. After years of criticism for a lack of diversity, this year’s nominees contained a record number of people of color.

The awards themselves also reflected a more diverse group. Chloe Zhao took home the best directing trophy for her film “Nomadland,” becoming only the second woman to claim the title and the first-ever woman of color. Yuh-Jung Youn won best supporting actress for her work in Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari.”

But is that enough? Critics say it’s a welcome start, but more needs to be done. In particular, they say white gatekeepers need to be willing to diversify who gets to tell their stories and how they get marketed.

Thursday, MPR News host Kerri Miller welcomed two guests who have been watching Hollywood’s attempts at diversity and inclusion. Is the entertainment business ready to face its persistent racial inequities?

Guests:

• Nancy Wang Yuen is a sociologist at Biola University and an author of “Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism.”

• Franklin Leonard is a film and television producer and founder of the Black List.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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