Despite its recent advancements, diversity remains a hot topic in Hollywood. As many continue for its push, some of its beneficiaries, specifically director Tyler Perry caution the charge. During a recent keynote engagement, the Primetime Emmy Award honoree argued there’s no gain in putting individuals in those positions if they lack proper training.
During the Sunday, Sept. 11, discussion in Toronto, the entertainment mogul proceeded delicately before sharing his thoughts on the progress of Black talent and stories in film and television.
“Let me be very careful on how I say this, be diplomatic. I’m extremely excited for what’s happened with diversity and the choices and opportunities that we’re seeing for black people for the first time; it is amazing,” the filmmaker said, Deadline reported. “But I worry because there is such a push for diversity and push for hiring people of color that I have found, in situations, that there are people [who] can be pushed into seats they are not ready for,” he continued.
“At Tyler Perry Studios, we train so many people, we’ve brought people in and they do an amazing job but as soon as people are trained and they know the job, they’re snatched up to go to some bigger production, which is fine because if you want to find people who know their job, if they can make it at my studio they can make it anywhere,” the star added.
Perry clarified his comments, stating: “What I don’t want to have is black people in seats that we weren’t ready for, and then have people that are not black that were moved out of seats.”
He added, “If we didn’t get qualifications, the teaching or the education to get there, then how are we given the seats so quickly? It’s my hope that in all of this change and this push for there to be more inclusion, we’re also providing time and training to make sure we can do a great job.”
The “Alex Cross” star’s remarks divided critics on social media. Some felt the 52-year-old’s statements wer baseless, as did one Twitter user who wrote, “My thing is, who was ever pushing for unqualified people to be in these positions? Most times, the “diversity hires” are a zillion times more qualified just to be in these spaces for these opportunities in the first place.”
Another user commented, “Has he seen “A Fall from Grace”? Talk about being in a seat he wasn’t ready for. Got actors drinking cups of air and wearing bad wigs and sh*t.”
Still, some users online were able to reason with the filmmaker’s point of view, including one commentator who wrote, “Makes sense but also kind of dismissive of the fact so many many white people are placed on positions they have no fucking reason to be in and suck but we don’t get to fail up?”
Another replied, “I was looking for this comment. Great perspective and very true. We are worthy of failing up for sure. I get what he wanted to say, but he added something else in the mix that made it offensive to many.”
“This is a statement that has never been uttered by a rich white person.”
