The entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood, has long been a symbol of global cultural influence, defining trends, shaping societal narratives, and influencing millions of people worldwide. As such, it has a responsibility to reflect the diversity and richness of the world we live in. In recent years, however, a seismic shift has occurred within Hollywood, one that has slowly but surely led to a movement of inclusivity on screen. Hollywood’s New Wave, as it is sometimes referred to, represents the industry’s effort to challenge the historical norms that have often marginalized underrepresented groups.
In this article, we will explore the significance of this new wave, its roots in past movements, its manifestation on screen, and how it is shaping the future of Hollywood cinema.
A Historical Context of Exclusivity
For much of Hollywood’s history, the industry was largely shaped by exclusionary practices. Movies were primarily made by and for white men, with little room for representation of racial minorities, women, LGBTQ+ communities, or people with disabilities. Even when these groups did appear in films, they were often stereotyped or depicted in marginal roles, reflecting broader societal prejudices.
For example, African Americans were largely confined to roles as servants, slaves, or criminals until the mid-20th century. Women, too, were often relegated to the roles of love interests or secondary characters. The industry’s portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters was limited, often reducing them to villains or tragic figures, rather than fully fleshed-out individuals.
This lack of inclusivity in storytelling was not just a reflection of Hollywood’s limited imagination—it was also a product of broader societal structures that reinforced white, male, heterosexual dominance. These limited representations influenced how certain communities were viewed in real life, creating cycles of marginalization.
The Rise of the Inclusivity Movement
The seeds of Hollywood’s New Wave were sown in the late 20th and early 21st centuries as several factors converged to demand change. This era saw the rise of social movements such as feminism, the civil rights movement, and the LGBTQ+ rights movement, each of which challenged traditional power dynamics and called for a broader representation of society on screen. These movements had a profound influence on how Hollywood began to address the issue of inclusivity.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were a few groundbreaking films that began to challenge Hollywood’s norms. Movies like The Color Purple (1985), which showcased African American women in prominent roles, and Norma Rae (1979), which dealt with issues of labor rights and women’s empowerment, started breaking barriers, though the industry remained mostly resistant to broad-scale change.
However, it wasn’t until the late 2000s and early 2010s that Hollywood truly began to grapple with the need for more diverse representation, especially as cultural attitudes around race, gender, and sexual identity evolved.
The #OscarsSoWhite movement, which began in 2015, was one of the catalysts for Hollywood’s inclusivity revolution. The hashtag was created in response to the Academy Awards’ lack of diversity, where several years in a row, all 20 acting nominees were white. The hashtag quickly became a rallying cry for activists and artists calling for the inclusion of more people of color in major Hollywood films and, more importantly, in the decision-making bodies within the industry.
Inclusivity on Screen: A New Era of Representation
The pressure from activists, combined with shifting cultural attitudes, led to a major overhaul in the kinds of stories Hollywood began to tell. The traditional, formulaic portrayals of certain groups have started to make way for more authentic, diverse, and multi-dimensional characters. Representation is no longer just about including a token character or filling quotas; it’s about crafting stories that reflect the diversity of the world and presenting these stories with the nuance and depth they deserve.
Race and Ethnicity: Broadening the Spectrum
One of the most significant changes in Hollywood’s inclusivity wave is the increasing representation of racial minorities. In recent years, films with predominantly non-white casts have been breaking box office records, while also garnering critical acclaim.
Movies like Black Panther (2018) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018) broke barriers by telling stories centered around African American and Asian characters, respectively, in ways that had rarely been seen before in Hollywood blockbusters. These films proved that diverse stories could not only succeed commercially but could also create a cultural impact, sparking conversations about race, identity, and representation.
Black Panther particularly stands out as a cultural landmark because it didn’t just include Black characters—it celebrated African culture in a way that hadn’t been done before. Director Ryan Coogler, through his depiction of the fictional nation of Wakanda, challenged Western notions of Africa, showing it as a thriving, technologically advanced society. In doing so, he helped shift perceptions of African identity within global cinema.
Another powerful example is Minari (2020), a film that portrays a Korean-American family’s struggles to achieve the American Dream. This film, while largely in Korean, was lauded for its authentic portrayal of immigrant experiences, helping to break down the “otherness” that often accompanies films about non-white characters.
However, the push for inclusivity has not just focused on African American or Asian stories. The increased visibility of Native American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern characters has also been vital in shaping a more inclusive Hollywood. Films such as Roma (2018) and The Revenant (2015) offered deep, emotional portrayals of Latinx and Indigenous characters, focusing on their humanity in ways that had been largely absent from Hollywood narratives in the past.
Gender: Empowerment and Complex Female Characters
Gender representation in Hollywood has undergone a major shift as well. Female characters are no longer relegated to stereotypical roles; instead, they are increasingly shown as powerful, complex, and multifaceted individuals. The rise of female-driven films and shows has been a direct response to the lack of opportunities for women in the past.
In 2017, Wonder Woman became a game-changer, proving that a superhero movie with a female protagonist could both resonate with audiences and break box office records. This film, directed by Patty Jenkins, was more than just a hit—it was a symbol of women’s strength and resilience, showing that women could hold the same cinematic importance as their male counterparts.
Other films such as The Hunger Games (2012), Hidden Figures (2016), and Little Women (2019) showcase women in roles that challenge societal expectations. In Hidden Figures, for example, the achievements of African American women in the space program during the 1960s are celebrated, while Little Women reimagines Louisa May Alcott’s novel through a modern feminist lens.
Television has also seen a surge in female-led narratives, particularly in genres like science fiction, drama, and action. Shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Big Little Lies, and Killing Eve have not only presented women in complex roles but also explored themes of power, identity, and societal structures through a female perspective.
LGBTQ+ Representation: A Breakthrough Moment
LGBTQ+ visibility in Hollywood has seen significant progress in recent years, thanks in part to societal shifts and increasing activism. For decades, LGBTQ+ characters were either invisible or depicted as tragic or stereotypical figures. Today, more and more films and TV shows are portraying LGBTQ+ characters in nuanced, real-world ways.
Moonlight (2016), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, was a landmark film in LGBTQ+ representation. It told the story of a young Black man grappling with his sexuality, identity, and place in the world. The film’s success was a clear sign that audiences were ready to embrace authentic and complex LGBTQ+ stories.
Television has also embraced LGBTQ+ characters in prominent roles. Series like Pose (2018-2021) and Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020) have made significant strides in depicting LGBTQ+ experiences in an empowering and authentic way. Pose, in particular, is a groundbreaking series that focuses on the lives of transgender women of color in New York’s ballroom scene in the 1980s and 1990s, giving a platform to a marginalized community that had been largely excluded from mainstream media.
Disability: Challenging the Stereotype
For too long, people with disabilities were underrepresented in Hollywood, often portrayed in one-dimensional or patronizing ways. However, this is beginning to change. There has been a gradual shift toward including more authentic portrayals of disabled individuals in films, with the focus on humanizing them rather than presenting them as objects of pity or inspiration.
Films like The Theory of Everything (2014), which depicted the life of physicist Stephen Hawking, and A Quiet Place (2018), which featured a deaf protagonist played by real-life deaf actress Millicent Simmonds, have done a great deal to shift Hollywood’s narrative on disability. Moreover, there is a growing push for more disabled actors to be cast in roles that reflect their lived experiences.
The Future of Inclusivity in Hollywood
The wave of inclusivity in Hollywood is still ongoing, and while much has been achieved, there is still work to be done. Behind-the-scenes representation is just as important as what is shown on screen. Efforts to hire diverse writers, directors, producers, and executives are essential for creating lasting change in the industry.
Furthermore, inclusivity should not be seen as a trend, but as a fundamental shift in how stories are told. For Hollywood to remain relevant and true to the society it represents, inclusivity must be an inherent part of every aspect of filmmaking—from casting to production, to the stories being told.