Hollywood awards are performative symbols of progress
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I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard the phrase, “The first (blank) in history to be nominated,” or, “The second (blank) in thirty years to be honored.” Come award season, marginalized groups in Hollywood can count their wins in ordinal numbers and are valued in part by their talent, but even more so by their trailblazing accomplishments that hint at a much darker truth.
The reality is this: when women, queer people, people with disabilities and BIPOC are the first to achieve something, or be honored in a certain way, it’s because the industry has ignored them for so long.
Last week, the 81st Golden Globes aired to millions of people across the country. I was unsurprised to see that the majority of nominees, and subsequent winners, across the film and television categories were white. They are talented, yes, but so are the actors and actresses of color that have been ignored by Hollywood. Considering the Globes have been hosted since 1944, it was frustrating to see that the demographics honored bore an uncanny resemblance to the lineup of the inaugural ceremony.
Yet I have to give credit to the major milestone of the night. Lily Gladstone won Best Actress for her role as Mollie Burkhart in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” making her the first Indigenous person in Golden Globe history to achieve the accomplishment. In the best way, it felt like something out of an alternate reality, one where Indigenous people are actually valued and respected.
It was heartwarming to read the reactions of other Indigenous mutuals on social media who finally felt seen.
Alongside becoming the first Indigenous person to win such a major acting award, Gladstone spoke Blackfeet during her speech on national television — unabashedly bringing her culture into a majority English-speaking room and making it clear that the win was not only for herself but for Indigenous communities everywhere. Moments like these are important in reminding the country that Indigenous peoples are unequivocally, beautifully alive.
To a certain extent, these awards are a reflection of how society as a whole has evolved to better reflect the diverse fabric of our nation in mainstream media, as well as a way to honor talent no matter its origins. It is, however, also a reminder of the lack of change that occurs after the ceremony ends and attendees go home. The next day began like any other, as if the night before never happened.
Taking a look at the history of Hollywood, I shouldn’t be surprised. Since the beginning of the industry, and indeed other film industries around the world, preference and privilege has always been given to those already in power.
In this way, awards are not just a marker of excellence, but also of the number of connections a person has made, the influence they hold in a room and how many voters on the judging panel they know. It becomes a tool to ensure the status quo never changes and that the same people are recognized every time to push their own professional and financial interests.
Bridget Overby | Presentation Director
As a result, the mere presence of marginalized groups has been a source of tension in Hollywood for decades. Across the bounds of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, historically marginalized groups have been gatekept out of sets, only then to be welcomed under the condition that they will put up with stereotypical roles and on-set harassment or othering. Today, they’re laughed out of the room if they advocate for fair pay or demand financing for projects that are important for their communities.
In the afterglow of this week’s Golden Globes, I couldn’t help but think about how Taraji P. Henson, a Black actress who previously won a Golden Globe and garnered numerous Academy and Emmy nominations, opened up about being paid a fraction of her white peers despite her 20 years in the industry. This award-winning actress, who has been in many iconic films throughout her career like “Hidden Figures” and “The Color Purple,” is reduced to using passion projects like her haircare line to “supplement her acting income and diversify her brand.”
I also thought about Viola Davis, the only Black actress to win the triple crown of acting, talking about racial inequities in Hollywood as far back as 2018. Davis told of how, as a Black woman, her career was not only affected by how much she was paid, but also by the lack of opportunities that came her way and how she was seen in the industry compared to white colleagues.
Being recognized for the work one does is important. Being celebrated is an undeniable right we have earned. But if awards aren’t advancing people’s careers, allowing them to be paid what they’re worth or improving conditions for up-and-coming actors, I find it hard to see a historic win as a sign of any meaningful progress or as anything other than a gesture.
Despite the achievements of the recent SAG-AFTRA strikes, actors are still at risk of losing control over their image thanks to Artificial Intelligence, as well as having their content completely erased from streaming services and being overworked. On top of that, diverse representation remains low, allowing actors from marginalized backgrounds fewer opportunities to work or grow as artists or bring groundbreaking visibility to their communities. So does a Golden Globe even matter?
Despite diversity and inclusion efforts — which have been minimal at best if we’re being honest — Hollywood can’t tear itself away from its history of segregation, discrimination and erasure, much less a present moment that allows actors to have a new set of demands.
It’s not enough to hire diversely in front of and behind the camera. Nor is it not enough to give us awards on the national stage. If Hollywood is ever going to move forward, it has to start by understanding that symbolic awards aren’t enough.
Sofia Aguilar is a first-year grad student in the Library and Information Science program. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at saguilar07@syr.edu.
