Sir Lenny Henry: Survey shows racism is a stain on entertainment industry

The report was commissioned by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity

More than half of all actors from ethnic minorities have directly experienced racism in the workplace, a major new study has revealed.

The UK survey of more than 1,300 actors found that 64% had experienced racist stereotyping during an audition, while 55% suffered racist behaviour at work.

Meanwhile, 71% said hair and make-up departments had been unable to cater to their heritage, hair or skin tone.

Sir Lenny Henry called the findings a "stain against the entire industry".

The actor and comedian added: "This report finally brings into the open what many of us talk about, and suffer, in private.

"We all work in this industry because we love it, but we must do better."

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The report was commissioned by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Birmingham City University.

Almost four out of five actors who responded said they had been asked to audition for a role that potentially stereotyped their ethnicity. Only 39% felt they could turn down those auditions.

One actress of Middle Eastern heritage said "all the roles that were specific to my heritage... were all stereotypical", including a terrorist daughter, immigrant and "scripts written with broken English".

A British Asian actress in her 50s said "eight out of 10" of her auditions were for an "Indian mother/aunt, etc, with accent", often spouting outdated ideas on sexuality and interracial marriage.

"[It's] like my generation of British Asian has been completely forgotten, but we are the ones that left home and defied convention," she said. "We studied Shakespeare and Ibsen and went to uni in the UK... yet we just don't exist."

'Painful reminder'

The report said stereotypes were hard-wired into casting notes, with Afro-Caribbean actors often told to "play it more sassy, urban and street".

In other examples, actors of various ethnicities were asked to "do a Middle-Eastern accent" or "sound 'more Asian'".

The findings correlate with previous studies, including a 2016 report by the British Film Institute, which found that Afro-Caribbean actors were more likely to be cast in roles connected to slavery, racism, colonialism, crime and gangs.

Sir Lenny said the lack of diversity in casting was "one of the greatest challenges facing the industry".

He wrote: "Every time we see a great actor like Thandiwe Newton, Idris Elba or David Harewood leave these shores to find opportunities denied to them in the UK, it is a painful reminder of why casting is so important."

The report also exposed specific issues around hair and make-up.

"The few black hair stylists I worked with knew not only how to tend to afro-centric hair texture, but also Caucasian and thick Asian or Hispanic. But I'm still yet to work with a white hairstylist who knows how to treat afro-centric hair," wrote one respondent.

"I normally bring my own foundation on jobs because I'm not sure if the make-up department will be used to dealing with my skin tone," added another.

The study concluded with several recommendations, including an independent third-party reporting body and having people of colour in substantive roles with the power to actively engage in anti-racist practices.