The panelists from Fox — Dante Di Loreto, Zola B. Mashariki, Shana C. Waterman, and Seth Yanklewitz — had much to contribute on the subject of diversity in casting, offering forward-thinking, creative solutions.
The conversation, moderated by Keli Goff, was centered on, but not limited to race; topics of gender, age, and disabilities were also discussed. The panelists addressed the fact that it’s a business imperative to cast a wide net and that ultimately talent drives casting. They also talked about diversity behind the scenes and how essential it is to a strong, healthy industry.
The success of Glee and Scandal, with the first African American female lead in 40 years, are showing us where the future of television is going. Change may be slower than we would like it to be, but there are creative minds at work challenging the status quo. — JENNIFER SILVERMAN
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