Category: Film

Drawing upon his five years of professional experiences as a casting director for BET,Fox, Hollywood studios, and independent filmmakers, Cunningham explains, “the basic

relationship in the business is the relationship that a casting director has to talent via

agents and personal contacts.” But contacts alone are insufficient. States

Cunningham, “if you have a good script, I can attract great talent.” The

question is: what talent may be eliminated from the pool?

While it is customary for producers and directors to establish guidelines for the casting

director, certain white producers in the industry have “expressed sentiments that

indicate a preference for skin tone,” according to Cunningham. Even with such

restrictions, Cunningham insists that casting directors have tremendous leeway. He relates

that although producers and directors wield tremendous power in the ultimate selection

process, it’s the casting director who drives the decision-making process through the

establishment of the selection pool.

Are Black actors in Hollywood mainstream films a dying breed? If it appears so, Cunningham

offers several suggestions to address the issue. First, Black directors and producers

should insist on a Black casting director. In Cunningham’s opinion, a Black casting

director can bring not only distinguished actors to the table, but also fresh faces.

It’s the latter that increases the pool of Black actors for future films and removes

the misperception on the part of White casting directors that there are only a few Black

actors worthy of major film roles.

Black actors. As one of three casting directors for the ten films, Cunningham opines,

“we basically hired more African-American actors in the last 12 months I think than

anyone.” Certainly, BET should be applauded for undertaking the arduous task of

producing and writing ten films in one year.

As for Cunningham, avid movie watchers look forward to his continued role in giving life

to a script’s characters.M

June 2000