Imagine a world where people aren’t seen for their race, but rather for their talent; where the color of one’s skin doesn’t determine the amount of opportunities they are given. This world is fiction and not the one lived in by today’s people.

In the film industry, people of color have all odds against them when it comes to getting a job. The color of their skin, a choice no one has control over, is often the thing that separates them from landing a role in a movie; a 2016 University of Illinois study showed only 28.3 percent of people who have speaking parts in movies are of a race other than white.   

A trend in the film industry is that African American actors can be in movies, but if the opportunity is there, they will be the first to die; an example of this is from “X-Men: First Class” when Darwin is the first to die. This is a backwards idea of saying African Americans have equal rights under the law to be in a film, but still have unequal screen time.

“I think African Americans can play huge roles and deserve the same amount of recognition as all other races,” junior Carley Mager said. “The unfortunate truth is that people in our society still have this prejudice about the minorities without even knowing it.”

I️t wasn’t until 1939 when the first African American, Hattie McDaniel, won an Oscar for best supporting actress in “Gone With The Wind.” This film was the first to feature actors of color who were recognized and honored for their achievements.

“I️ don’t think it really matters if the actor is African American or any race,” junior Erik Adams said. “I️ think the actor just needs to be fit for the role in the movie.”

Some people watch movies for enjoyment. The race of an actor doesn’t change their opinion on whether or not to watch a movie.

“What makes a movie good to me is if it impacts my emotions in a good way,” senior Za’Tozia Duffie said. “Movies that make me think a little deeper about myself and the world are also my favorite.”

In today’s society, there are movies with a full cast of people of color, but they are not as popular in the box office as other movies with a predominantly white cast. Recently the tables have recently turned with Marvel’s “Black Panther.” The movie skyrocketed bringing in tons of movie lovers and even those who do not normally watch superhero movies came to witness the first ever African American hero.

“The movie ‘Black Panther’ was glorified by everyone who saw it,” Duffie said. “That’s because it meant so much to the black community.”

While some people are still stuck in the 1960s, the world of film has grown tremendously. When it comes to welcoming actors from different types of backgrounds, there are still some situations where African Americans don’t have equality; but every day there is added hope into building a world of equal opportunity for everyone.