Fast forward to 2015, when Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton redefined what it meant to cast inclusively in modern period dramas by using actors descended from slavery and colonialism to play the Founding Fathers. Every aspect of the musical was designed to reframe the existing narrative of early American history. The costume design also reflected the identities of the actor by featuring braids, locs, and textured hairstyles over 18th century white hairstyles. Rap lyrics conveyed to the audience the names, dates, and other descriptions of the Revolutionary War. The old adage that someone must “look the part” to play a biographical role was thrown out the window. Besides, sometimes race and gender are at the heart of the material and will resist meddling. It would be difficult, though by no means impossible, to fiddle with the racial makeup of Six Degrees of Separation, say, or even A Bronx Tale. Same goes for gender in most of this season’s new plays. Years later, with more acting experience on stage but a longing for creative fulfillment, Manning decided to produce the mixed-race representation she didn’t see in the industry. After combining forces with Adrienne Wong, another mixed-race actress, the two wrote Mixie and the Half-Breeds, a play exploring two women’s struggles to negotiate their Asian-Canadian heritage. It premiered in Vancouver in 2009 and most recently ran in Toronto in April 2018. Although writing the play was a vulnerable process, Manning says that she felt she had a responsibility to show other mixed-race people that they aren’t alone in their experiences.

In television, film and theatre, ethnic minorities are represented better than ever, which is something that most actors and directors of colour feel should be celebrated. While the conversation around casting processes might sound like hair-splitting, it does seem important to interrogate the results they produce – particularly in TV, where there is a significant discrepancy between representation behind the camera and representation in front of it. Gordon, Joel. “When Superman Smote Zeus: Analysing Violent Deicide in Popular Culture.” Classical Receptions Journal, vol. 9, no. 2, 2017, pp. 211–236. doi 10.1093/crj/clw008. [Crossref] [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] Be professional. Remember that this is a business transaction and treat it as such. Be respectful of each person's time and be clear about your expectations.The narrative is all about this woman’s journey and it’s a story that really captures an experience that we’ve all been through” said Afrocenchix co-founder and CEO Rachael Twumasi-Corson. “You’re trying to get ready, your hair isn’t what you want it to be and then you end up making do. This time the solution comes from a brand that understands the unique needs of people with Afro and curly hair.” That was certainly the motivation for director Emma Holly Jones when she cast Gemma Chan and Sope Dirisu as the romantic leads in her Austen-inspired 2019 short film Mr Malcolm’s List (written by Suzanne Allain), which is set to begin filming as a feature in the summer of 2020.

Salma Hayek Pinault plays a fictionalized version of herself, who’s then playing Murphy’s Joan on the Streamberry TV show. “I play both an exaggerated version of myself and of Joan,” Hayek Pinault told Netflix. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an interpretation of myself. I got to explore the concepts and clichés people have about me and be self-deprecating. It’s as if I created an alter ego where I could do the most disgusting, grotesque things that you would never do in real life, and have permission to do that.”Both film and TV still have very little minority representation among top management and boards; film in particular is less diverse than relatively homogenous sectors such as energy, finance, and transport. Any attempt to uncouple Whiteness and Greco-Roman culture in audiovisual media provokes outbursts of dismay and cultural policing.

There is value in sharing personal stories that we don’t hear enough, but this doesn’t have to be the only way for racialized actors to appear on screen or on stage. Reimagining who can be a superhero, a mermaid, a princess, or a doctor could make the casting process a more even playing field for everyone. Define your project. Be as specific as possible when describing your project. It will help potential candidates understand what you're looking for and whether they are a good fit. Radulovic, Petrana. “Figuring Out What Makes a God in the MCU so Gorr the God Butcher Doesn’t Have To.” Polygon, 9 July 2022, www.polygon.com/23200050/mcu-thor-gods-asgard-eternals-moon-knight-explainer. Accessed 27 Jul. 2022. [Google Scholar] In some ways, I am loath to admit that it was not until I watched Bridgerton that I realised that I had never truly experienced period drama in the way that I believe it is supposed to be experienced, because I had never seen someone who looked like me be truly involved in the romance of it. I have always had a rich imagination, and yet, I had never been able to transport myself into one of these scenes. In my mind's eye I was always watching the characters from the other side of the glass. I tried to view it as a business transaction,” Tynan says. As a young actor in Vancouver, image has a major impact on the opportunities that he can access. With red hair and a pale complexion, he’s predominantly called in for Caucasian roles; roles that he’ll take on but that aren’t always fulfilling. Tynan is mixed-race. His father is second-generation Chinese-Canadian and Tynan identifies with both sides of his heritage. However, this isn’t easily communicated through a headshot. Tired of being overlooked for culturally relevant roles, he resolved to dye his hair in the hopes of appearing “more Asian.”

Fields, Karen E., and Barbara J. Fields. Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life. 1st ed., Verso, 2014. [Google Scholar]