BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – With hit shows like “Empire,” ”black-ish” and “How to Get Away With Murder,” diversity is the new normal in TV.
That was the message at a pre-Emmy party celebrating the industry’s diverse talent on both sides of the camera.
“Diversity no longer means niche,” said Jason George, head of diversity efforts for the actors union. “Diversity is mainstream.”
The TV academy and the SAG-AFTRA actors union held its third annual pre-Emmy diversity reception Thursday at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. With little on the agenda other than to celebrate, stars including Daniel Dae Kim, Garcelle Beauvais and “American Crime” supporting actor nominee Richard Cabral ate, drank and mingled under the stars on the warm, breezeless night.
In a year when the Academy Awards were criticized for an all-white slate of acting nominees, TV actors are toasting the opportunities on the small screen for women, people of color and people with disabilities.