Kumail Nanjiani Advocates for Diverse Roles: “I Want to Play a Bad Guy!”
W ednesday, Kumail Nanjiani spoke out on the need for more diversity in Hollywood roles at The Hollywood Reporter's third annual Raising Our Voices luncheon, held underwritten by STARZ #TakeTheLead, celebrating champions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the industry at Spago in Beverly Hills.
The event saw attendees like Annette Bening, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Nava Mau, while STARZ's head, Kathryn Busby, was honored with a Trailblazer Award for her work on #TakeTheLead, a network initiative aimed at highlighting stories from underrepresented communities. Busby remarked on STARZ's dedication to "authentic storytelling" and its mission to "reflect the full spectrum of human experience."
One of the most attended panels during the festival was "Attaining Gender Balance in Storytelling," moderated by Stacey Wilson Hunt. Industry leaders discussed the challenges and financial barriers women face when creating content. Reflecting on progress, one speaker noted, "These moments can feel disheartening, but we must remain optimistic. Take Barbie, for instance. The landscape is changing."
Annette Bening moderated another insightful panel, "Freedom to Be: The Future of Trans Visibility," which delved into trans representation in media. As a mother of a trans son, Bening was passionate about emphasizing the need for genuine portrayals. Nava Mau and Brian Michael Smith echoed these sentiments, highlighting how authentic representation can influence public perception.
On opening night, comedian Kumail Nanjiani humorously criticized the industry's handling of diversity, stating that while people of color are often asked to speak on diversity issues, true progress will come when those in power listen and act. He stressed that diverse stories are not only beneficial to society but also make good business sense by offering more than just cultural stereotypes.
"I want to play a villain," Nanjiani quipped, adding that diversity should go beyond token representation. "We are multifaceted people who can be heroes, villains, and everything in between." He ended his speech by advocating for more inclusivity in storytelling: "Don't leave us out. Make your movies and TV shows reflect the real world. That's all we ask."
