It is no surprise that Hollywood has influenced society's perception of the world by telling stories through a large and recognized platform. Hollywood does not necessarily fulfill the immense responsibility of accurately representing people of all cultures. This is a lingering problem in 2016 that has persisted for far too long and needs to be addressed in order to hopefully be fixed. This so-called "liberal" industry consists of a largely white population who dominate American film studios and the Academy. This, in turn, influences the ethnic background of actors who actually get roles in major films and are recognized for their performances. Huge blockbuster films usually have a predominately white cast of actors , and these white actors are given a plethora of opportunities to further and widen their careers. Non-white actors are often given racially stereotypical roles that portray a certain minority group inaccurately or without genuine consideration.

In recent news ,there has been outrage over casting decisions made for the Japanese cult anime turned American live-action film, Ghost in the Shell. Scarlett Johansson was cast as the leading Japanese protagonist, Major Motoko Kusanagi. However, this has been an ongoing problem for almost a century. For instance, in 1937, German-born Luis Rainer won an Academy Award for her performance as a Chinese farmer in The Good Earth. One of the only Chinese-American movie stars at the time, Anna May Wong, auditioned for the role but was denied the part because of strict Hays Code Hollywood executives had to adhere to. One of the restrictions was that interracial couples were not allowed to be portrayed on screen and the leading male role was given to a Ukranian actor. And let's not forget one of the earliest and highest grossing films of all time, Birth of a Nation. This 1915 film featured a white cast of actors with black face and heavy racist tones. This problem has filtered down to the modern movie industry. It may be understandable that during that time there was blatant racism throughout society, but it still lingers and through the integration of social media into our everyday culture, the truth about Hollywood's best-kept secrets have been revealed.

I understand to an extent when people say, "you should not be that sensitive" and "no one takes Hollywood that seriously anyway." But in my defense, we are at a point in time that allows us absolute creative freedom in producing art and I believe that underrepresented minority groups deserve to have their stories told in a way that is not typically seen in the media. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a nice laugh here and there watching Peter Sellers and Burt Kwouk's slapstick comedic antics in the old "Pink Panther" movies. But, it is important to be aware of the subtle racist undertones associated with their relationship. Comedy is constantly changing so for a 1960s audience "The Pink Panther" may have been the peak of comedy whereas a modern audience could not relate. There is a significant marginalization of people of color and many do not receive recognition in Hollywood because they are not represented in the Academy which gives accolades and awards to anyone of their pleasing. This dilemma extends to African American, Latin American, and Native American actors and filmmakers alike. And it turns out that the Academy is 94% white and 76% male. Hopefully with time, Hollywood will deliver more ethnically diverse casts.