Hollywood's glossy screens promise a world of dreams, but a stark reality check reveals they are still largely telling the same old stories, as evidenced by the fact that in 2022's top 100 films, only 18.3% of speaking characters came from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, women comprised just 33.5% of lead actors, and characters with apparent disabilities made up a mere 2.2%.
Key Takeaways
- In the 100 top-grossing films of 2022, only 18.3% of speaking characters were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups including Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaska Native
- Among lead actors in the top 100 films of 2022, women comprised 33.5% of roles, marking a slight decline from previous years
- In 2022 top 100 films, characters with apparent disabilities represented just 2.2% of speaking characters, down from 2.3% in 2021
- Broadcast TV scripted shows 2022-2023 had 40% leads from minority groups
- Cable scripted series 2022-2023: LGBTQ regular characters up to 10%
- Nielsen: Black viewers 18% of TV audience but only 13% regular characters 2021
- News media outlets 2021: 76% of newsroom staff white
- Black journalists 6% of newsroom workforce 2021
- Hispanic/Latino in newsrooms 8% 2021
- Super Bowl ads 2023: 52% featured racially diverse casts
- Kantar: 2022 TV ads 40% Black actors
- ANA 2023: Hispanic representation in ads 12%
- Netflix original series 2022: 47% leads of color
- YouTube top creators 2023: 25% minority owned channels top 100
- TikTok top videos 2022: 38% Black creators
Media representation for minorities remains severely lacking across film, television, and news.
Advertising
1Super Bowl ads 2023: 52% featured racially diverse casts
Verified2Kantar: 2022 TV ads 40% Black actors
Verified3ANA 2023: Hispanic representation in ads 12%
Verified4Asian in national ads 2022: 8%
Directional5Women in ads 2021: 50.1% screen time
Single source6LGBTQ in ads 2023: 3.5% of major campaigns
Verified7Disabled people in ads 2022: 1.2%
Verified8#OscarsSoWhite impact: 2022 Oscars ads 45% diverse
Verified9Streaming ads 2023: 35% POC leads
Directional10Print ads magazines 2022: 22% models of color
Single source11Automotive ads 2023: 48% diverse casts
Verified12Fast food ads 2022: 55% Black representation
Verified13Beauty ads 2023: 25% dark skin tones
Verified14Sports ads Super Bowl LVII: 60% inclusive casting
Directional15Tech ads 2022: Asian 15% overrep
Single source16Financial services ads: 30% women leads 2023
Verified17Alcohol ads 2022: 20% LGBTQ inclusive
Verified18Retail holiday ads 2023: 65% diverse families
Verified19Pharma ads 2022: 5% diverse physicians
Directional20Gaming ads 2023: 18% female leads
Single source21Insurance ads: 42% POC 2022
VerifiedAdvertising Interpretation
The advertising industry is finally learning to paint with more colors, but the palette still looks suspiciously like a corporate color-by-numbers kit where some shades are perpetually running low.
Film
1In the 100 top-grossing films of 2022, only 18.3% of speaking characters were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups including Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaska Native
Verified2Among lead actors in the top 100 films of 2022, women comprised 33.5% of roles, marking a slight decline from previous years
Verified3In 2022 top 100 films, characters with apparent disabilities represented just 2.2% of speaking characters, down from 2.3% in 2021
Verified4LGBTQ characters made up only 1.1% of speaking or named characters in the 2022 top 100 films
Directional5Black actors held 8.9% of speaking roles in top 100 films of 2022
Single source6Hispanic/Latino speaking characters were 7.4% in 2022 top films
Verified7Asian speaking characters accounted for 5.9% in top 100 films 2022
Verified8Only 1.7% of directors of top 100 films in 2022 were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups
Verified9Women directors directed just 16% of the top 100 films in 2022
Directional10In top 100 films 2021, underrepresented racial/ethnic groups were 34.3% of leads/percs
Single source11Native American/Alaska Native characters were 0.4% of speaking roles in 2022 films
Verified12Middle Eastern/North African speaking characters reached 1.2% in 2022 top films
Verified13In animated top films 2022, women were 42% of speaking characters
Verified14Black females were 3.1% of speaking characters in 2022 films
Directional15Asian females held 2.9% of speaking roles in top films 2022
Single source16Only 5.3% of writers on top films 2022 were underrepresented racial/ethnic
Verified17Women writers were 19.7% on top 100 films 2022
Verified18In 2022, G, PG, PG-13 films had 21.4% underrepresented racial/ethnic speaking characters
Verified19R-rated top films 2022 had 16.7% Black speaking characters
Directional20From 2007-2022, average underrepresented directors in top films was 11.2%
Single source21In top 100 films 2020, LGBTQ characters were 1.3%
Verified22Women with disabilities were 0.7% of speaking characters in 2022 films
Verified23Hispanic/Latino males were 4.8% of speaking roles 2022
Verified24Only 2.1% of protagonists in top films 2022 were disabled
Directional25In 2022 kids' films (G/PG), underrepresented were 39.2% speaking characters
Single source26GLAAD found 28 LGBTQ characters in wide theatrical releases 2022
Verified27Transgender characters in major films 2022: only 5 across all releases
Verified28Geena Davis Institute: girls 5-11 in family films outnumbered boys 1.2:1 in 2021
Verified29In top films 2019-2022, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders 0.6% speaking roles average
Directional30Women of color leads in top films peaked at 12% in 2022
Single source31In 2022 top 100 films, 44.6% of leads were white males
VerifiedFilm Interpretation
While the data portrays an industry still performing a hesitant, under-rehearsed diversity number, it's clear the standing ovation is going to remain on hold until the cast and crew behind the camera start looking more like the world in front of it.
News Media
1News media outlets 2021: 76% of newsroom staff white
Verified2Black journalists 6% of newsroom workforce 2021
Verified3Hispanic/Latino in newsrooms 8% 2021
Verified4Asian journalists 8% newsrooms 2021
Directional5Women in newsrooms 2021: 42% of employees
Single source6Local TV news anchors: 24% people of color 2022
Verified7Newspaper bylines 2020: 78% white authors
Verified8Op-ed writers major papers 2019-2021: 75% white men
Verified9Radio news staff: 11% Black 2021
Directional10Digital news sites: 15% leadership POC 2022
Single source11Sources in news stories 2022: 70% white males quoted
Verified12Photojournalists: 20% women 2021
Verified13Editors in newsrooms: 80% white 2021
Verified14TV news experts: 62% men, 85% white 2020 study
Directional15Public radio hosts: 22% POC 2022
Single source16Cable news pundits 2022: 65% white males
Verified17Minority-owned news outlets: <5% market share 2023
Verified18News coverage of minorities: Black issues 4% of stories 2021
Verified19Female bylines in science news: 28% 2022
Directional20LGBTQ journalists 4% newsrooms 2021
Single source21Native American reporters 0.4% 2021
Verified22Disabled in news staff 1.5% 2022
Verified23International news sources: 90% Western white perspectives 2022
VerifiedNews Media Interpretation
The American news landscape paints a startlingly pale and male self-portrait, as if conducting a national conversation while peering through a keyhole.
Television
1Broadcast TV scripted shows 2022-2023 had 40% leads from minority groups
Verified2Cable scripted series 2022-2023: LGBTQ regular characters up to 10%
Verified3Nielsen: Black viewers 18% of TV audience but only 13% regular characters 2021
Verified4In primetime TV 2022, Latinx characters 6% vs 19% population
Directional5Asian Americans 7% of regular TV characters 2022-23 despite 6% population
Single source6Women in broadcast TV leads 2022-23: 48%
Verified7Disabled characters in TV 2022-23: 2.1% across broadcast/cable/streaming
Verified8GLAAD: 392 LGBTQ series regulars 2022-23, 12% of total
Verified9Black women leads in scripted TV up 5% to 18% in 2022
Directional10In daytime soaps 2022, 25% cast POC
Single source11Reality TV: 28% non-white contestants in 2022 major shows
Verified12Kids TV 2022-23: 42% characters girls, 38% boys underrepresented racial/ethnic
Verified13Trans characters on TV 2022-23: 28 series regulars
Verified14Nielsen 2023: AAPI characters 9% primetime TV
Directional15Hispanic women 4% regular characters TV 2022
Single source16In news anchors 2022, 25% women of color
Verified17Late-night hosts: 0 Black permanent hosts in 2022
Verified18Sitcoms 2022: 35% Black leads
Verified19Dramas: Latinx 8% series regulars 2022-23
Directional20Women directors TV episodes 2021-22: 30%
Single source21POC TV directors 2022: 22%
Verified22Bisexual characters TV 2022-23: 49 series regulars
Verified23Native characters TV <1% 2022
Verified24In local news 2022, 18% anchors Black
Directional25Sports TV commentators: 12% women 2022
Single source26Game shows hosts: 20% minority 2023
Verified27Talk shows daytime 2022: 40% diverse panels average
VerifiedTelevision Interpretation
While there's a genuine patchwork of progress in representation with some bright spots—like Black women's leads rising and kids' shows nearing gender parity—the overall picture remains a frustrating game of catch-up where most marginalized groups, from the disabled to Latinx communities, are still waiting for their screen time to truly reflect their presence in the audience and the population.
Sources & References
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