Despite the growing number of releases featuring API characters and narratives from both domestic and international sources, over two-thirds of API consumers remain dissatisfied with the authenticity of their representation on screen. In fact, less than 30% of API consumers feel adequately represented in film and television. Furthermore, projects centered around API characters and storylines often face challenges in securing the necessary promotional resources to reach a wider audience.
The study emphasizes the interconnectedness of on-screen and off-screen representation, highlighting that individuals holding pivotal off-screen roles, such as directors, writers, producers, and showrunners, play a crucial role in shaping who gets cast in on-screen roles. Lead actors frequently express preferences to collaborate with specific individuals, further emphasizing the significance of diversity in key off-screen positions. The report cites examples of successful API-centric films and television shows, including ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ ‘Life of Pi,’ ‘Beef,’ and ‘Fresh Off the Boat,’ as evidence of the growing visibility of API representation. However, despite this progress, API actors continue to be underrepresented in US-produced content.
In the realm of film, while API representation has risen from 3% in 2002 to nearly 20% in 2022, it is important to note that 17% of this representation stems from non-US productions, leaving only 3% originating from US-produced films, which falls short of the API community’s 6% share of the US population. The study reveals that nearly two-thirds of major films featuring API leads do not explicitly explore API race-specific narratives, indicating a disconnect between representation and the portrayal of authentic API experiences.
The report concludes by presenting recommendations for the film and television industry to foster more authentic API representation, such as increasing the likelihood of greenlighting and distributing API projects, providing increased financial support for API projects and creators, investing in API off-screen talent, broadening the criteria for evaluating projects, and maintaining a commitment to monitoring the state of API representation. The study emphasizes that transforming the industry’s ecosystem is essential, encompassing decision-making processes, pipeline development, and the evaluation of potential API projects.
