00:00So Effie, we're here. Here we are. Here we are together. Black women in Hollywood. Making it happen. At last. Tell me about what it means for you as a producer, writer, what it means to be a black woman in Hollywood.
00:17You know, that's a really great question. I've never been anything else, so I don't know. Maybe one day I'll be able to be a fabulous Latina in Hollywood, maybe. I don't know. But right now I've always been black. I have to say I love it. I've been very blessed. I've had to work hard. I might have had to work harder than others that didn't look like me, but everything has been worth it so far.
00:41And for me, like the bigger picture, you know, real talk is, you know, educating as you entertain. My whole goal for going into film as a child was because of the lack of representation that I saw in film and television. So the fact that I get to contribute in some small way, I'm really, really happy about that. And I'm excited about where I am now being able to do so much more.
01:07Yeah. Did you expect that Matt Damon moment to kind of like, you know what? I feel poor Matt Damon. Matt Damon has just been dragged. I just got to say like, and I just said dragged. I'm just like, I'm so sorry. He's like, I don't ever see another black woman again. Probably. He's never. He didn't say that ever.
01:21Ooh, that could get me in trouble. But I don't say like it, that experience, I think one that, you know, he publicly apologized. He's made roads to, you know, make big changes, you know, where he could for diversity and inclusion.
01:38And as for, you know, a woman and a woman of color in a position of authority and in Hollywood, that's like a Tuesday for us.
01:46You know, it's, um, I hate to say it's not, that wasn't something that was, uh, what? That never happens.
01:53You know, with something you could see like, oh, okay, well, this is, this is a moment where we have to try to educate and shift and to explain a point of view, uh, when you might be the only point of view.
02:07Wow.
02:07So, you know, Oscar's so white, everybody's talking about that. But I personally have watched it and been like, but this is not only, it's been made into a black issue, right? And the idea of inclusion is not, is not just a black issue.
02:20I agree.
02:21Yeah.
02:21My feelings might be, I might be a little different, but, uh, you know, as we know, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, you know, run to the Academy, her right hand woman is a woman named Dawn Hudson. You know, we have a black director of the Oscars.
02:35We have a black host. And I bet you, I would put, lay some money on it. We're probably going to have a Latino, you know, win best picture and best director.
02:44So I feel that, um, that I, I lean more toward that of being, oh, these are great things that are happening. Uh, I do understand that for the actor category and actress category, it's very homogenous.
02:59But you know what? That's what, it's not, it's not Oscar's fault. Do you know what I mean? It's really, it's, it's a very indicative of like, well, what do they have to choose from?
03:08And I'll say, I'm also a member of the Academy. So let me, so it's not the they, I voted as well, you know, but you can look and see what Hollywood is putting out.
03:17How many films do you see with a black female lead? Films, not television, because Shonda and Lee have that on lock, you know, you know, but what, what, what, what, think about it.
03:27The film that I saw was a black female lead.
03:30Okay. Got it. How about a Latina? How about an Asian? And you're right. The world is much bigger than just black and white. And I love the fact that you brought that up because I feel that inclusion is for all of us.
03:41Yeah. It's for all of us. And it's for everyone that feels marginalized. So.
03:46Yeah. Now what? What do we do now?
03:48What do we do now? Very clearly. It's not that hard. You have to hire, you have to mentor and you have to invest.
03:56It's a total lie. When they said, oh, we couldn't find someone. That's a lie.
04:01And I have raised my hand and said, call me because I will show you production designers, editors, DPs, producers, writers, whatever you, actresses, we have those on lock.
04:11So let's hire.
04:12Yeah. Can you finish the sentence for me? Black roles matter because?
04:17Black roles matter because you can't be it if you can't see it.
04:21Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:26Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:28Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:30Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:32Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:34Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:36Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:38Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:40Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:42Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:44Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:46Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:47Black roles matter because you can't see it.
04:48Black roles matter because you can't see it.
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