Michael B.
Jordan, 33, has asked Hollywood to ‘commit to black hiring’ across the TV and movie industry.
In Los Angeles, California, the Black Panther actor gave a passionate speech during a Black Lives Matter protest and stated that he wanted to use his power to ‘demand diversity’.
“I want us to invest in black staff. I’m proud to have an inclusion rider and all that good stuff, and I use my power to demand diversity, but it’s time the studios and agencies and all these buildings we stand in front of to do the same.”
You committed to a 50/50 gender parity in 2020. Where is the challenge to commit to black hiring? Black content led by black executives, black consultants. Are you policing our storytelling as well? Let us bring our darkness to the light.
Black culture: the sneakers, sports, comedic culture that you guys love so much. We’ve dealt with discrimination at every turn. Can you help fund black brands, companies, cultural leaders, black organizations?”
The actor is not alone in his thoughts. Just this week, news came out that Fantastic Four director Josh Trank wanted to cast a black Sue Storm along with Jordan’s character, Johnny Storm. Something which received “pretty heavy pushback” from the studio.
Jordan also spoke about playing Oscar Grant in the 2013 movie Fruitvale Station at the protest.
In the movie, Oscar Grant was a 22-year-old African American man who was killed by police on New Year’s Day 2009. Police were responding to reports of a fight on a crowded Bay Area Rapid Transit train returning from San Francisco. Johannes Mehserle, the police officer who shot Grant, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
“I’ve played four very important characters that have affected my life, Oscar Grant was one of them.” The actor said.
He also brought the topic of his production company, Outlier Society, and how he’s only going to hire private security for its events.
Jordan added that if there are any companies he works with that have financial ties to the police, that they would have to “re-look at our business.”
“We have to stop hiring the police. We have to cut off their support, that’s why I’m committing to hiring private security at all my events. Private security only.”
Jordan continued: “All the brands that deal with me; if you have racist beliefs, if you have a racist bone in your body, if you’re not with me and if you don’t stand with people who look like me, then you don’t need to be with me.”