By: Jill Goldsberry
Actors need representation within the industry which usually comes in the form of an agent manager or publicist. Oftentimes, those individuals are not the most culturally aware of what it takes to fight for their clients' needs. Remember how legendary performer Lenny Kravitz wondered why he’s rarely covered in Black media? Whether it was because he was not invited which is doubtful, or if his team didn't realize the importance of Black media.
It’s why some actors are left to advocate for themselves often time with results leading
to comments like “She’s difficult, we have a hairstylist already”, à la l, Gabrielle Union. All
she wanted was a hairstylist well-versed in textured hair.
With a recent update on union rules in Hollywood, it now set standard for productions
that must provide Black talent with hair and beauty professionals who know how to enhance and highlight those attributes.
And that is just a couple of examples. When we see heavyweights like Taraji P. Henson
brought to tears on national television about the disparity in pay rates in 2024, it’s clear
changes need to be made in Hollywood
Tribeca Film Festival recently hosted a masterclass titled “The Future of Representation” (June 7, 2024) which highlighted diverse Hollywood heavyweights working behind the scenes that are making the changes we want to see in the future of Representation. The event was part of expressions of Black freedom for this year's Black Artist for Juneteenth held at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
The lineup included moderator Jaia Thomas, a diverse representation founder and attorney; Brian Boone, a film agent at CAA who works with actors; Tray Witter of 3 Arts Entertainment, a manager and producer for writers and directors
and actors who write, direct, or produce; Binta Niambi Brown, an entertainment lawyer and entertainment partner in Manatt’s New York office who represents talent by making the deals that help them scale their businesses and create wealth, and Isaiah Jones, a UTA Talent agent who represents comedic talent. They make up some of the powerhouses in the industry who are holding the standards for our community to get ahead in the film industry.
In today’s landscape, talent is often found in cyberspace. All four professionals agreed that they constantly look for new talent and new stories in the digital world first. Actors looking to build any credibility will do well by remembering that the “New Hollywood” is about the three “r’s” : representation, referrals and relationships.
Staying true to your message and honing more than one skill is the way to go. The way to build your brand is to master your craft and branch out into other spaces.
The panelists also gave the following examples of working with an actor/writer or producer/ actor:
● Focus on creating a unique experience
● Align your message, be mindful, and know what comes with it.
● Reps want to work with multihyphenates
● Build out your brand.
● Never ever represent yourself as tempting as it may be.
The insightful conversation ended with an impactful statement by Brown who closed us out. “Ego is not a substitute for relationships and strategy.”
Copy Editor: Breanna Robinson
Photo Courtesy: Jill Goldsberry
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