2018: The Year of Inclusivity in Hollywood
From ethnicities to gender roles to sexuality, movies in the west showcased diverse stories this year
Diversity in Hollywood is a topic of heated debate with many feeling left out and underrepresented or ignored. However, that’s changing with filmmakers exploring diverse plotlines and characters. From a predominantly black cast in Black Panther to an all-women lead in Ocean’s 8, an Asian cast in Crazy Rich Asians to a coming-of-age tale of a closeted gay character looking for romance in Love Simon, 2018 saw Hollywood make a case for inclusivity with these cinematic gems.
Ocean’s 8
With a talented all-women cast, it set out on a path-breaking endeavour to give some of the biggest names in Hollywood to play a part in a money-spinning franchise. It may not have got its due at the box office, but the project will be remembered for paving the way for more films with women headlining the cast.
Black Panther
The superhero flick from the Marvel Cinematic Universe went on to become one of the most notable movies of the year on many accounts, one of them being a predominantly black cast. The film gave viewers a black superhero as well as women characters to look up to. Wearing its African roots with pride, it ditched the stereotype of showcasing the countries as well as the communities of the continent as backwards. Director Ryan Coogler celebrates Afrofuturism, giving audiences hope and something to aspire for.
(Clockwise from top left) To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before; A Simple Favor; Searching
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and A Simple Favor
In To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Lara Jean Covey’s character does not stand out for her Asian roots but for her character’s confidence and knowing her mind. Crazy Rich Asians made Henry Golding bag the Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively-starrer, A Simple Favor, but the focus here was not his ethnicity. The character could have been a white man but was played by the English Malaysian actor in a move to be more inclusive and diverse. Another notable film that did not go unnoticed was Searching — a thriller that looked at the dangers of the digital era. Searching would not succeed without John Cho’s gripping performance.
Crazy Rich Asians
The lighthearted romantic comedy based on a wealthy Singaporean not only raked in the moolah but also won critical acclaim across the globe. The film showcased the cultural conflict between Asians and Asian-Americans with a multi-ethnic ensemble cast playing Chinese-Singaporean characters. The film received its fair share of criticism but made a case for looking at Asian characters in lead roles and exploring stories that the community could identify with.
Love, Simon
Moving towards a more sensitive portrayal of LGBTQ stories, Love, Simon and Boy Erased sensitises people about the struggle of accepting one’s sexuality and dealing with people’s views of it. The former is a tale of a gay character simply looking for love, while the latter looks at the horrors of a religious conversion-therapy camp. While inclusivity in Hollywood is still in its nascent stages, there’s hope that we could see more diverse characters if 2018 is a reflection of what’s to come.