CLOSING THE GAP

This week's newsletter is written by CNBC Make It work editor Hanna Howard. You can follow Hanna on Twitter @_hannahoward.

This weekend some of Hollywood's biggest stars will be back on the red carpet for the 94th Academy Awards. The Oscars are often touted as Tinseltown's biggest night, but in recent years the ceremony has been as much cause for criticism as it has for celebration. In January 2015, when all 20 acting award nominations went to white actors, April Reign created the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, sparking increased and enduring scrutiny of the film industry's diversity — or lack thereof.

In the intervening years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as film studios and organizations have set goals for diversifying talent both in front of and behind the camera, but UCLA's annual Hollywood Diversity Report shows how much progress has really been made toward achieving goals of greater inclusion for women and people of color.

My colleagues Julia Boorstin and Harriet Taylor broke it down for Closing the Gap:

The UCLA study found that women held the gains they’ve made on-screen, representing 47% of film leads and 42% of actors. But women and people of color are still vastly underrepresented in a number of roles. Women are less than 22% of directors and 33% of film writers. And both male and female people of color represent 30% of directors and 32% of film writers. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done, particularly for women of color,” says Ana-Christina Ramon, UCLA’s director of research and civic engagement. “They again lag behind, in getting those major jobs as directors of top films.” 

This lack of diversity at the top has a ripple effect across movie productions: the study found that films written or directed by women last year had casts that were significantly more diverse than those written or directed by white men. And inclusion isn't just an issue of right and wrong — it's also impacting film studios' bottom lines: Eight of the top 10 theatrically released films in 2021 featured casts that were greater than 30% minority actors, while films with less than 11% minority actors were the lowest box-office performers.

Read more in our full report where Boorstin and Taylor not only break down UCLA's biggest findings but also take a look into some of the organizations that are helping move the needle in terms of film industry diversity.

Are you planning to watch the Oscars? What changes would you like to see Hollywood make? Share your thoughts with us at askmakeit@cnbc.com 

More articles from Closing the Gap

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Almost anyone can become a content creator and make posting on TikTok, Instagram or other platforms their job. But not everyone who pursues an influencer’s career path knows how much they can — and should — be making. That’s why Christen Nino De Guzman quit her $150,000-a-year job at TikTok and founded Clara for Creators, a “Glassdoor-like” app that helps content creators know and receive their worth.

The first Black woman CEO in the Fortune 500 on work-life balance: You don’t have ‘to go to all your kids’ games’

In 2009, Ursula Burns became the first Black woman CEO in the Fortune 500 as the leader of Xerox. And to get to the top of the corporate ladder, she shared with Make It’s Jade Scipioni that she never bought into the idea of “having it all.” Here’s how she balanced work and home instead.  

Wilma Mankiller will soon be on new U.S. quarters – what you need to know about the trailblazing Cherokee chief

This year, a new series of U.S. quarters will honor iconic women throughout American history. In the spring, coins with the image of Wilma Mankiller, first-ever woman to be elected chief of a major Native American tribe and Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree, will go into circulation. Here’s what to know about the trailblazing leader.