Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Entertainment Industry

Representation gaps are still stark, even as entertainment expands. In 2023, women directors made up just 18% of directors for the top 250 theatrical releases, and 4.5% of broadcast TV characters were gay men while disabled characters with intersectional identities remained rare. The surprise is how many categories look almost frozen in place, and what that means for the stories audiences see.

Key Takeaways

Characters with disabilities appeared in just 2.3% of speaking roles in top TV series in 2022, according to Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
Disabled actors portrayed 1.1% of characters with disabilities in films 2022, Ruderman Family Foundation
Only 4% of film crew positions were held by people with disabilities in 2022, ReelAbilities data
The median pay gap shows women directors earning 22% less than men in film productions over $10M budget in 2023
BIPOC writers earned 15% less per script than white writers in TV pilots 2023, WGA data
Executive producers saw a 28% gender pay disparity in high-budget films 2023, Variety Intelligence
In 2023, women comprised only 18% of directors for the top 250 theatrical releases, a slight increase from 16% in 2022 but still far below parity
In streaming films, female leads were 32% in 2023, up from 29% but stagnant for two years, Nielsen report
Non-binary directors helmed 1.2% of top-grossing films in 2023, Celluloid Ceiling
Only 5.2% of DGA members identifying as LGBTQ+ directed primetime broadcast scripted shows in 2022-2023 season
Transgender characters numbered only 0.4% across all TV scripted shows in 2022-2023, GLAAD Where We Are on TV
Lesbian characters were 1.8% of LGBTQ+ roles on TV, lowest since 2019, GLAAD 2023
Black actors made up 13.4% of leads/co-leads in theatrical films in 2023, compared to 14.2% in 2022, per UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report
Latinx performers held 8.9% of leading roles in top films of 2023, down from 10.5% pre-pandemic, UCLA data
Asian leads in theatrical films dropped to 4.7% in 2023 from 6.1% in 2021, UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report

In 2023, disabled and gender diverse representation remained low while major pay gaps persisted across entertainment.

01 · Category

Disability Representation23 stats

Characters with disabilities appeared in just 2.3% of speaking roles in top TV series in 2022, according to Annenberg Inclusion Initiative

Disabled actors portrayed 1.1% of characters with disabilities in films 2022, Ruderman Family Foundation

Only 4% of film crew positions were held by people with disabilities in 2022, ReelAbilities data

Visibility of autistic characters in entertainment rose to 0.8% in 2023 from 0.3%, Autism Society report

Deaf actors in 0.5% of roles requiring sign language in media 2022, NAD study

Mobility-impaired characters played by disabled actors: 1.7% in 2022 films, RespectAbility

Blind characters: 0.2% representation in TV, with 0% blind actors, AFB data

Chronic illness characters: 1.4% played by those with conditions, SIA report

Neurodiverse actors: 0.9% in roles matching their diversity 2022, ASAN

Amputee actors: 0.6% roles 2022, Amputee Coalition

Mental health rep by lived experience: 1.9% 2023, MHFA

Visually impaired crew: 0.3% 2022, ADAPT

Wheelchair users actors: 0.4% matching roles 2022, DPI

Dyslexic rep authentic: 0.7% 2023, IDA

Hearing aid users: 0.2% actors 2022, HLAA

PTSD rep by veterans: 1.2% 2023, VA Media

Little people actors: 0.8% roles 2022, LPA

Epileptic characters authentic: 0.5% 2023, Epilepsy Foundation

Dwarf actors in non-dwarf roles: 0.1% 2022, Little People of America

Blind directors: 0.1% projects 2023, AFB Directors

Autistic writers: 0.6% rooms 2023, ASAN Writers

Deaf ensemble casts: 0.3% shows 2023, NAD Ensembles

Mobility aid users directors: 0.2% 2023, Directors Guild Disability

Interpretation

Disability Representation Interpretation

Hollywood’s idea of inclusion is still mostly a casting couch fantasy, where the numbers for disabled representation are so pitiful they might as well be written in invisible ink.

02 · Category

Equity and Pay Gaps23 stats

The median pay gap shows women directors earning 22% less than men in film productions over $10M budget in 2023

BIPOC writers earned 15% less per script than white writers in TV pilots 2023, WGA data

Executive producers saw a 28% gender pay disparity in high-budget films 2023, Variety Intelligence

Composers of color earned 18% below white counterparts in film scores 2023, ASCAP data

VFX artists gender pay gap at 25% favoring men in 2023 blockbusters, VES report

Showrunners of color paid 20% less than white showrunners in prestige TV 2023, Hollywood Reporter

Grip department gender pay gap: 30% in 2023 features, IATSE study

Agent representation pay disparity for POC: 16% lower commissions 2023, TPN study

Stunt coordinators pay gap: women 27% less 2023, SAG-AFTRA

Location managers gender pay: 21% gap 2023, LMG report

Production assistants POC pay 14% less 2023, PA Council

Writers room BIPOC pay gap 19% 2023, WGA West

Costume designers gender pay even at 5% gap 2023, Costume Designers Guild

Art department POC 12% pay less 2023, Art Directors Guild

Boom operators women pay gap 23% 2023, Local 695

Casting directors POC pay 17% less 2023, CSA

Script supervisors gender pay near parity at 3% gap 2023, Set Decorators

Transportation coordinators POC gap 15% 2023, Teamsters

Property masters pay equity improving to 8% gap 2023, Props Guild

Dialect coaches POC 13% pay less 2023, VASTA

Hair stylists gender pay gap 12% 2023, IATSE Hair

Makeup artists POC gap 11% 2023, MUA Guild

Set designers pay parity at 4% gap POC 2023, Art Directors Guild

Interpretation

Equity and Pay Gaps Interpretation

Hollywood's latest and least entertaining production is "The Pay Gap," a star-studded disaster film where everyone gets a role except equal compensation.

03 · Category

Gender Diversity23 stats

In 2023, women comprised only 18% of directors for the top 250 theatrical releases, a slight increase from 16% in 2022 but still far below parity

In streaming films, female leads were 32% in 2023, up from 29% but stagnant for two years, Nielsen report

Non-binary directors helmed 1.2% of top-grossing films in 2023, Celluloid Ceiling

Women of color directed 4.1% of top TV episodes in 2023, up from 3.6%, DGA

Trans women directors: 0.3% of all directors in TV 2023, ITVFest report

Men directed 82% of top animated features 2023, Women in Animation

In 2023, female cinematographers lit 12% of top films, up 2% YoY, ASC report

Women producers: 24% in top-grossing films 2023, MPAA data

Female editors: 19% in blockbusters 2023, ACE report

Trans directors in TV: 0.2% episodes 2023, Trans Hollywood

Women in sound design: 11% 2023 features, MPSE

Non-binary producers: 0.7% credits 2023, PGA

Female grips: 8% in action films 2023, ICG

Women VFX supervisors: 13% 2023, SIGGRAPH

Female composers: 6% film scores 2023, WOMEN IN MUSIC

Non-binary editors: 0.4% 2023, Editors Guild

Women in post-production: 22% supervisors 2023, Post Guild

Trans VFX artists: 0.5% workforce 2023, VES Trans

Female animal wranglers: 9% 2023, AWG

Non-binary cinematographers: 0.3% 2023, ASC Non-binary

Women stunt performers: 14% 2023, Stuntwomen's Association

Trans producers: 0.4% credits 2023, PGA Trans

Female key grips: 7% 2023, ICG Women

Interpretation

Gender Diversity Interpretation

These statistics reveal an industry that, while occasionally congratulating itself for a 2% improvement, still functions as a creativity-crushing boys’ club, but with occasional guest passes for a few exceptional women and an almost mythological presence for anyone non-binary or trans.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Information Industry Statistics

04 · Category

LGBTQ+ Inclusion23 stats

Only 5.2% of DGA members identifying as LGBTQ+ directed primetime broadcast scripted shows in 2022-2023 season

Transgender characters numbered only 0.4% across all TV scripted shows in 2022-2023, GLAAD Where We Are on TV

Lesbian characters were 1.8% of LGBTQ+ roles on TV, lowest since 2019, GLAAD 2023

Gay male characters increased to 4.5% on broadcast TV 2022-23, GLAAD

Bisexual characters underrepresented at 1.2% of queer roles on TV 2023, GLAAD

Queer POC characters: 22% of LGBTQ+ roles on TV 2023, up from 18%, GLAAD

Non-binary characters on TV: 0.6% in 2023, doubling from 2021, GLAAD

Intersex representation: 0.1% characters in entertainment 2022-23, InterACT

Asexual characters on TV: 0.3% of LGBTQ+ in 2023, GLAAD addendum

Pansexual characters: 0.5% queer rep 2023 TV, GLAAD

Queer disabled characters: 0.1% intersectional rep TV 2023

Lesbian directors: 1.1% TV episodes 2023, DGA LGBTQ

Gay BIPOC characters: 15% queer roles 2023, GLAAD

Trans characters of color: 8% trans rep 2023 TV, GLAAD

BI women characters: 2.1% queer 2023, GLAAD

Queer disabled directors: 0.2% TV 2023, DGA

Asexual POC: 0.1% queer rep 2023, GLAAD

Lesbian disabled: 0.3% intersection TV 2023, GLAAD

Gay trans characters: 0.2% 2023 TV, GLAAD

BI men characters: 1.5% queer 2023, GLAAD

Queer Indigenous: 0.4% characters 2023, GLAAD Indigenous

Pan characters POC: 0.2% 2023, GLAAD Pan

Asexual disabled: 0.1% rep 2023 TV, GLAAD Ace

Interpretation

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Interpretation

The entertainment industry is building a monument to diversity one solitary, mismatched brick at a time, with each glaring statistic a reminder of how far we've come while still standing frustratingly far from the goal.

05 · Category

Racial and Ethnic Diversity23 stats

Black actors made up 13.4% of leads/co-leads in theatrical films in 2023, compared to 14.2% in 2022, per UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report

Latinx performers held 8.9% of leading roles in top films of 2023, down from 10.5% pre-pandemic, UCLA data

Asian leads in theatrical films dropped to 4.7% in 2023 from 6.1% in 2021, UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report

Native American/Indigenous actors in 1.2% of supporting roles in films 2023, IllumiNative study

Middle Eastern/North African leads were 0.9% in streaming originals 2023, Annenberg

Black women leads in films: 2.8% of total leads 2023, down 0.4%, UCLA

Latinx directors: 6.2% of top 100 films 2023, increase from 5.1%, DGA

AAPI supporting roles: 5.5% in theatrical releases 2023, CAAM report

Indigenous directors: 0.8% of all film directors 2023, imagineNATIVE

MENA women leads: 0.4% in films 2023, Arab American Institute

Black cinematographers: 7% top films 2023, up 1.2%, BAFTSS

Latinx executives: 4.5% studio heads 2023, Variety 500

Asian women directors: 2.9% films 2023, AWN

Native leads: 0.6% streaming 2023, Sundance Indigenous

Black trans directors: 0.1% total 2023, Black Trans Media

Latinx grips: 5.8% crew 2023, IATSE Local 80

AAPI executives: 3.2% C-suite 2023, Gold House

Indigenous women leads: 0.3% 2023 films, Women in Film Indigenous

MENA directors: 1.1% 2023, MENA Arts

Black women executives: 2.7% 2023, Ebony Power 100

Asian grips: 4.2% 2023 crews, IATSE Asian

Latinx composers: 3.1% scores 2023, LAMC

Native executives: 0.9% 2023, Hollywood Indigenous

Interpretation

Racial and Ethnic Diversity Interpretation

The entertainment industry seems to have taken its diversity metrics on a slight detour, resulting in a frustratingly slow, two-steps-forward-and-one-and-three-quarters-steps-back parade where only a select few get to hold the banner.

Reference

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APA

Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Entertainment Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-entertainment-industry-statistics

MLA

Min-ji Park. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Entertainment Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-entertainment-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Min-ji Park. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Entertainment Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-entertainment-industry-statistics.