14 DAY TRIAL // Shonda Rhimes is one of the most successful writers and producers in Hollywood today, with such shows under her belt as “Scandal,” “Grey's Anatomy” and “Private Practice.” After being given The Diversity Award by the Directors Guild of America, Shonda has a bittersweet taste in her mouth.
Rhimes and Betsy Beers, the other executive producer on “Scandal,” have been given the Diversity Award for hiring minority actors and women actors in their series and thus promoting equality through diversity, as per Entertainment Weekly.
Needless to say, Rhimes was humbled by the prize, “When I heard I was getting a Diversity Award, I was really, truly, profoundly honored. I began to get calls from Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, etc., and I was asked to comment on the award. Asked how good I felt about the award. Asked if it made me feel like I was doing the right thing. Asked if it had been a struggle making diversity happen on my cast and crews.”
However, the writer is baffled that there is still need for such an award during our times, “While I’m still really and truly profoundly honored to receive this award, but I was also a little [expletive] off, So was Betsy. So over many, many, many bottles of wine we discussed this.”
Shonda doesn't think that the issue stems from racism, but from lack of access. In her opinion, people hire actors who they know and since the movie industry has been a white male-dominated business for well over 50 years, it's still perpetuating.
In the end, Rhimes thinks the DGA has a good initiative with offering this award and thus raising awareness over the issue of hiring minorities in the movie industry. She says that “The DGA, by the way, is the only Guild giving out this type of award in an attempt to draw attention to the problem, which I think is kind of bad[expletive].”