Can We Talk: Women of Color vs. Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair March 2010 Issue

(photo via vanityfair.com)

Before reading below please read this article: Vanity Fair's "New Hollywood" Issue Completely Lacks Diversity"

This is absolutely ridiculous. There isn't much more for me to say that the author of the article hasn't already pointed out. This article says to me: "Hey, don't worry! Non-whites won't be rising too much in Hollywood, there's still enough young, white tail on the come up." ......... Oh yes, I'm definitely "riled up."

(photos via vanityfair.com)

L-R: Carey Mulligan, Kristen Stewart, Abbie Cornish, Mia Wasikowska, Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Hall, Emma Stone, Evan Rachel Wood, and Anna Kendrick

A few of the young women definitely deserve their spot in the issue (Kristin Stewart, Amanda Seyfried, Blake Lively, Emma Stone, maybe even Evan Rachel Wood) but at the moment, who really gives a shit about Rebecca Hall, Mia Wasikowski, Carey Mulligan, and Anna Kendrick?  From reading their bios in the Vanity Fair article (and reading elsewhere), I was not impressed. There was nothing deserving of the title "New Hollywood." Now granted there aren't as many young and up-and-coming women of color in Hollywood (the article focused on the 19-27 age range), but there's still NO excuse for this rubbish. I feel a little bad for basically bashing these young ladies' careers, but that's not really what I'm trying to do. I'm just saying that there should have been a more DIVERSE selection, especially when there are young women of color who are just as deserving, if not more, of the spotlight.

I'd like to point out that when I visited VF's online site one of the first things I noticed was an advertisement to join. The issue used in the advertisement was the the one that had President Barack Obama on the cover. Oh the irony.

The women of color who could have been featured:

America Ferrara (Latina)

There really is not need for an explanation here. She's my number one contender for someone who should have been in the VF article.

• Her 2002 performance in HBO's "Real Women Have Curves" was spectacular.
• She has starred in the very successful Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films
• She is the star of the very popular tv show "Ugly Betty"
• She has a new movie coming out called "Our Family Wedding"
• Last but not least in her accomplishments, she has received awards, which many if not all of the young ladies in the vanity fair issue have NOT received
• And tell me if this makes sense: Blake Lively, who was mentioned in a similar issue Vanity Fair last year, also starred in the Sisterhood movies and has been a major character on the tv series Gossip Girl since it began in 2008). So as you can see, America and Blake are matched in that area. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE: If you check IMDb (Internet Movie Database) America's career FAR outshines Blake's and also many of the ladies who are in the issue. Something in the milk ain't CLEAN...WHY WASN'T AMERICA IN THE ISSUE?!

Zoe Saldana (Hispanic - Puerto Rican/Dominican)

Zoe has been around for years. I think the movie most of us remember her first starring in is Center Stage. She's also starred on Law & Order twice, and worked alongside big names such as Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher. I think the Star Trek movies really boosted her career, and of course this year's Avatar will help her go further still. Her career is really beginning to take off. She has several movies lined up according to IMDb. One thing I love about Zoe is that she is very expressive in her acting. (Zoe is 29 so she's two years older than the oldest person in the VF article, I don't know if her age would have disqualified her or not.)

Gabourey Sidibe (Black)

Although she only recently made her debut in Hollywood by starring in the movie "Precious", the publicity alone from the movie and her stellar performance in the film should have gotten her in the article. 'Nuff said. If she's good enough grace the cover of V magazine and have a featured article in Harper's Bazaar, then dammit she's good enough for Vanity Fair! Would seeing her amongst those thin white girls look a little odd? Yes, but only because we're not using to seeing thick black girls alongside thin white ones. (Read the post I did on Gabourey, she's amazing! Can We Talk: Behold Your Own Beauty

Zoe Kravitz (Black - mixed black/white)

Her career isn't much to brag about yet but neither is Anna Kendrick who was in the VF article. Oh, and let's not forget that in 2009 Zoe was crowned the new face of Vera Wang Princess. (Sidenote: Zoe may be mixed with more than just black and white)

Keke Palmer (Black)

Had she been in the article she would have been the youngest (she's 16). Keke is one word: AMAZNG! She has starred in movies alongside big names in Hollywood such as Lawrence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, and Ice Cube. She is the star of a VERY successful tv show "True Jackson, VP!" which is going to be a movie very soon, and she also sings and is supposed to have a CD out in the near future. When looking at her career, she could easily stand up to any of the VF girls. Unfortunately, I think that people might call the movies she has been in "black films," but they weren't like Baby Boy or The Cookout type of films (obviously since Fishburne and Bassett were in them).

And now I'm going to advocate for someone who is not a woman of color, but  is an amazing actress and has starred in some really good movies.

Ellen Page

I heart this chick! Initially I thought they might not have included her in the article because she's kind of quirky, but then again, so is Kirsten Stewart! So I really don't understand why she wasn't included in the article, yet Anna Kendrick was (whose claim to fame is playing a FRIEND of Bella Swann in the Twilight movies, ugh). Excluding her is RUBBISH! Ellen Page was Juno for crying out loud (which I think will become a cult classic). And as many of the young ladies mentioned before her, her career is equal to or outshines the ladies mentioned in the VF article (she's been in multiple movies and worked with Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Garner, and Sarah Jessica Parker to name a few).

I suggest you go to IMDb and view the work of the ladies in the VF article and the ones I suggested.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Can you think of any more women of color who would have been more deserving of the spotlight in the issue? Or of any actress that are quirky and don't fit standard images of beauty (looks or personality wise)?