UCLA Hollywood report shows audiences want diverse films: NPR

The photo of the Hollywood sign was taken on March 6 near the Dolby Theater, site of the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

The photo of the Hollywood sign was taken on March 6 near the Dolby Theater, site of the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Ahead of Hollywood’s biggest night, the University of California on Thursday published a new study examining diversity within the film industry.

It found that people of color make gains in key categories in 2023 — film leads, total actors, directors, and writers. However, women suffered losses in the acting and writing categories. According to the study, both groups remain underrepresented in all major employment categories.

Hollywood was in a tough spot in 2023, still recovering from the pandemic and facing strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. But movies like Barbie And The Hunger Games: Song of Songbirds and Snakes It helped boost the box office, according to the study that looked at the global and domestic earnings of films released in theaters.

The study found that in 2023, films with casts made up of 31 to 40 percent people of color had the highest average global box office revenues, while films with 11 percent people of color performed the least. The study also found that moviegoers purchased the majority of domestic opening weekend tickets for three of the top 10 films of 2023.

The study noted that franchise films generated the highest profits from their series when they embraced more diversity. Examples included films such as Doctrine 3, Screaming 6And John Wick: Chapter 4which included lead actors of color and ensembles made up of 50 percent or more actors of color.

“Films that embrace diversity are more likely to resonate with audiences, leading to box office success and ultimately the long-term sustainability of the industry,” Darnell Hunt wrote in a statement. Hunt is UCLA’s executive vice chancellor, provost, and co-founder of the report.

Behind the scenes, representation of lead actors and total actors, directors and writers of color reached 11-year highs. The top films with more than 50 percent diverse casts also outnumbered the least diverse films. But the study warns that these numbers are likely a reflection of decisions made in 2020, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. “The question is whether this upward trend in diversity will continue,” Hunt wrote.

Women did not make any gains in Hollywood’s top jobs in 2023, according to the study. The only category in which it has remained stagnant is directing, where 1.5 out of 10 theatrical film directors are women. It was found that films directed by white women were more likely to receive the lowest budgets, despite their great success. BarbieWhich grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide.

While this study only looked at theatrical releases, a separate study looking at the streaming industry is scheduled to appear later this year.