For much of its history, Hollywood’s lens reflected only a narrow slice of society. Minority actors were typecast or excluded altogether, and women often confined to stereotypical roles. That began to change — slowly — in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Directors like Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Ang Lee, and Greta Gerwig expanded the narrative landscape, bringing new perspectives to the screen.
Films like Black Panther, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Moonlight proved that diversity is not only right but also commercially powerful.
Today, the fight for representation continues — in writers’ rooms, executive offices, and on-screen portrayals — as Hollywood strives to reflect the true variety of the world that watches it. From the first motion cameras to today’s digital effects, Hollywood has always been driven by technological innovation.
