Conversations That Move the Needle: These Hollywood Groundbreakers Share Their Hearts and What’s Needed to Achieve Parity Between Being “Famous” and “Blackfamous”

This past week, in conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, five Black actors—Loretta Devine, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Larenz Tate and Lynn Whitfield—discussed the abundant lack of parity in fame between certain cultures, using the terms “famous” and “Blackfamous” to denote mainstream and Black culture-specific fame, respectively. Each actor detailed their experiences of being well-known and uber-respected in the Black community, but lacking equal lauding outside of that culture. Emmy winner Loretta Devine even detailed a recent experience at a local Los Angeles restaurant where her picture is prominently featured on the wall and patrons asked for her autograph, yet she was overlooked by a news crew (there for coverage of an NFL game) who didn’t recognize her. 

The conversation transitioned to discussion as to what might explain this contrast, and Lynn Whitfield put forth one possibility: “marketing, marketing, marketing.” She says if a show features a predominantly Black cast, it will be promoted through different channels and in different locations than other shows, even if it touches on universal truths and experiences. Even streaming platforms—which the group agrees has helped with exposure of Black media to broader audiences—market their content on their home pages using algorithms that could affect visibility.

While things have certainly gotten better over the years, there is still much more work to be done. One way to reach that change, though, is by having and holding these important conversations of reality and solutions. This week, we celebrate the boldness of these actors to continue these conversations that move the needle and shift the culture toward a world that is the most inclusive and most representative of all its people.