Award-winning actresses Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Halle Berry, Taraji P. Henson, Lynn Whitfield, Kimberly Elise and Mary J. Blige sat down with The New York Timesβ T Magazine to discuss the importance of representation in media, as well as some of the issues theyβve come across during their time in the spotlight.
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The actresses came together in February for a photo shoot and accompanying interview, which is chronicled in a video for the feature. Throughout the eight-minute stunning visual, each woman muses on the importance of sisterhood in Hollywood. Although Tinseltown has attempted to grow in terms of diversity, the actresses involved are each aware that it is still an issue.

βAt the end of the day, I donβt think you can get anywhere without connection, and especially in a business that we keep criticizing of being deprived of black narratives, so I have to feel a kinship,β Oscar winner Davis explained.
Halle Berry, to date the only black woman in history to win an Academy Award for Best Actress, echoed the sentiment, saying that black women always βunderstand and are knowing of the struggle.β

In terms of Hollywood today, many of the actresses said that diversification in the types of roles is important. Lynn Whitfield explained that black people are βnot monolithic,β while Mary J. Blige explained, βThereβs so much more than we can do other than being a slave.β

βWhoever decides to give us these jobs, they need to look at us past being black actressesβjust look at us as actresses,β she continues.
βWhat I see Hollywood do is feature one or two of us, and theyβll ignore the rest of us like we donβt exist,β Elise said. βIt gives the illusion that weβre moving forward, but itβs really disempowering the collective.β

Despite the issues that surround Hollywood, all of the actresses gave kudos to past and current actresses, showrunners, directors and producers. Angela Bassett thanked Gloria Foster and Mary Alice, while Taraji P. Henson saluted Pam Grier and Debbie Allen. (βIf it were not for them, I would have never been able to dream,β she said.)

Shonda Rhimes was similarly applauded by the women for her ability to put black women in empowering positions on her shows like Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder.
β[Rhimes] helped to change everything,β Whitfield explained. βThe black woman took charge and showed you black women of power.β

What are some of the qualities these leading ladies possess that has made them staples in Hollywood? Bassett and Davis say that there is a common threadβauthenticity.

βBe dynamic, be special, be eye-catching, be alluring...be you,β Bassett explains, while Davis says βitβs a lot of responsibility to just be true to you...especially in a town thatβs not necessarily about that.β
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