--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why aren't there films being made that…" description: "\"Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically diverse stories? Or why is it so impossible to allow a person of color to add their texture and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg" --- # Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically… ![“Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically diverse stories? Or why is it so impossible to allow a person of color to add their texture and their essence to a role that is not ethnically specific? I don't know why it's a novel or risky idea to consider making a film look like how our…” quote by Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg) > “Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically diverse stories? Or why is it so impossible to allow a person of color to add their texture and their essence to a role that is not ethnically specific? I don't know why it's a novel or risky idea to consider making a film look like how our world actually looks today.” [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Diverse stories are often excluded due to perceived market risk and entrenched bias. **In simple terms:** Lack of representation stems from fear of change. Key Takeaway Advocate for inclusive storytelling. Themes representation bias industry Mood hopeful critical Type cultural industry When to use this quote - film pitch meetings - casting decisions - studio green‑lighting - audience outreach - policy advocacy Key Concepts media studies social equity risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What barriers exist in your creative field? - How can allies support diverse voices? A Different Perspective Box‑office success of diverse films challenges the risk narrative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [And living in a metropolitan area which is ethnically diverse, our lives are very complicated, so our emotional experiences are going to be varied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-harry/and-living-in-a-metropolitan-area-which-is-ethnically-diverse-our/) [Debbie Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-harry/) > [“Queens, New York. The most ethnically diverse region not just in the United States, but on the entire planet... In Queens, you will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/queens-new-york-the-most-ethnically-diverse-region-not-just-in-the/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [London is not just an international financial centre: it is also one of the most ethnically diverse places on earth. Three hundred languages are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/london-is-not-just-an-international-financial-centre-it-is-also-one/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [My executive board, my management, my friends, are so ethnically diverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/my-executive-board-my-management-my-friends-are-so-ethnically-diverse/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [I coach church planters to look at the ethnic diversity of schools and neighborhoods they are near. This will be an indicator how ethnically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derwin-l-gray/i-coach-church-planters-to-look-at-the-ethnic-diversity-of-schools/) [Derwin L. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derwin-l-gray/) > [As black women, we're miles behind our white counterparts in being offered the space to create and craft female characters in major blockbuster films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/as-black-women-we-re-miles-behind-our-white-counterparts-in-being/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [“I've lived long enough to know that life doesn't always stick to the rules...The perfectly impossible and absolutely ridiculous keep happening all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/i-ve-lived-long-enough-to-know-that-life-doesn-t-always-stick-to-the/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [Media is everything, and when you live in Los Angeles and you live in New York, it's almost impossible to run into a conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/media-is-everything-and-when-you-live-in-los-angeles-and-you-live-in/) [Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/) > [I'm a producer, writer, director. I'm putting everything together very fast, and I'm strong and focused on making the next film as fast as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malgorzata-szumowska/i-m-a-producer-writer-director-i-m-putting-everything-together-very/) [Malgorzata Szumowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malgorzata-szumowska/) > [My father used to describe how he'd love going, early in the morning, out on a location and waiting for the trucks to arrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-broccoli/my-father-used-to-describe-how-he-d-love-going-early-in-the-morning/) [Barbara Broccoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-broccoli/) > [I'll tell you one thing, and this is banal to say because it just makes it sound like it's all planned, and nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-and-this-is-banal-to-say-because-it-just/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [I enjoy the making of the film and it's something for me to do. If nobody ever comes to my films, if people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-enjoy-the-making-of-the-film-and-it-s-something-for-me-to-do-if/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [When you're making a film, you have an obligation to fill the frame with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-have-an-obligation-to-fill-the-frame/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Everything that goes into making a film, when it's the finished product, us as the actors look at the film and go: "Oh man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-klein/everything-that-goes-into-making-a-film-when-it-s-the-finished/) [Chris Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-klein/) > [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/there-s-always-gonna-be-people-with-a-lot-of-money-making-film-and/) [Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/) ## More by Teyonah Parris > [As black women, we're miles behind our white counterparts in being offered the space to create and craft female characters in major blockbuster films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/as-black-women-we-re-miles-behind-our-white-counterparts-in-being/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I had been getting relaxers since I was eight or nine. I had no clue. It was a personal mission to really find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-had-been-getting-relaxers-since-i-was-eight-or-nine-i-had-no-clue/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [As a girl, I remember looking up to pop singers, and they all had long, straight weaves and light skin. And I thought, 'That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/as-a-girl-i-remember-looking-up-to-pop-singers-and-they-all-had-long/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [When you have filmmakers like Justin Simien, writers, producers, actresses like Lena Waithe, who are people of color, they're creating their own content and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/when-you-have-filmmakers-like-justin-simien-writers-producers/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I think, no matter who you are, at some point in your life you've probably said, 'OK, well, who am I, and where do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-think-no-matter-who-you-are-at-some-point-in-your-life-you-ve/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [It's important, as a young person of color, to see yourself reflected in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/it-s-important-as-a-young-person-of-color-to-see-yourself-reflected/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I don't even watch basketball. I can't even pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-don-t-even-watch-basketball-i-can-t-even-pretend/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I'm influenced by many things. Simply turning on the television, I feel inundated with images and messages to be a certain way. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-m-influenced-by-many-things-simply-turning-on-the-television-i-feel/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [Whatever it is you do, study it, learn the ins and outs of it, and really work on building your craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/whatever-it-is-you-do-study-it-learn-the-ins-and-outs-of-it-and/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I, for myself, have wanted to get more into producing because I want to be a part of the conversation and be one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-for-myself-have-wanted-to-get-more-into-producing-because-i-want-to/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [In working with Nick Cannon, he's such a generous guy, a generous actor, and he was very protective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/in-working-with-nick-cannon-he-s-such-a-generous-guy-a-generous-actor/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [You have to really understand and appreciate who are you are and know who you are and what you have to offer people -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/you-have-to-really-understand-and-appreciate-who-are-you-are-and-know/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [You have to be resilient to be a black person in America. The thing about being resilient is being able to fall apart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/you-have-to-be-resilient-to-be-a-black-person-in-america-the-thing/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [An actor hears 'no' more often than the average person. A black human and a black woman on top of that? That's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/an-actor-hears-no-more-often-than-the-average-person-a-black-human/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [I love period dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/i-love-period-dramas/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) [Explore all 56 Teyonah Parris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) ## More Film quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [Pakistan now is like a horror film franchise. You know, it's 'Friday the 13th, Episode 63: The Terrorist from Pakistan.' And each time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/pakistan-now-is-like-a-horror-film-franchise-you-know-it-s-friday-the/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) [Browse all 32,254 Film quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically diverse stories? Or why is it so impossible to allow a person of color to add their texture and their essence to a role that is not ethnically specific? I don't know why it's a novel or risky idea to consider making a film look like how our world actually looks today.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Teyonah Parris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-tell-ethnically-diverse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Film" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-tell-ethnically-diverse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/teyonah-parris-12195_impossible_why-aren-t-there-films-being-made-that-t_1702601.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why aren't there films being made that tell ethnically diverse stories? 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