Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/48976
SAGCelebrat esDiversit y those who portray people with disabilities in film and television, and the casting directors, writers and producers who have the vision to help tell those stories. In presenting the Screen Actors Guild Harold Russell Award to actor Marlee Matlin, Robert David Hall (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) talked about the difference it can make to see strong, fully realized characters with disabilities onscreen. Matlin's character in her breakout role in Children of a Lesser God "forever changed the image of deaf women in the minds of the public," Hall said. And that demonstrates the power of seeing diverse characters on film and television: It helps erode stereotypes and change attitudes. As Matlin received the award, her words rang true for everyone pushing to see greater diversity onscreen and a better representation of the American Scene. "We're not done yet and we're going to continue to make noise, to make things happen and make it equal for each and every one of us," Matlin said. THE LEGAL APPROACH Encouraging greater diversity is laudable, but what about bringing more legal tools to bear? Brian Walton, a former executive director of the Writers Guild of America and SAG and AFTRA's chief negotiator in 2001, was among those who testified at a legislative hearing about diversity in entertainment on October 19 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Titled Casting a Wider Net: Achieving the Legal Mandate for Diversity in Entertainment, the hearing was a chance to examine why, despite antidiscrimination laws, the entertainment industry still lags in diversity. "It's interesting to ask the question, 'What actually is going to move the agenda here? What is our purpose?' Whenever we pass a law, we always run into unintended consequences. And that makes it very difficult," he said. What complicates the issue is that the entertainment industry creates artistic — as well as commercial — works, and laws that promote diversity must be balanced with First Amendment rights of expression. Even though there have been setbacks, Walton said that laws fostering equality have helped to change attitudes and expectations. Adam Moore, Interim National Director of Affirmative Action and Diversity, who also spoke at the hearing, stated that SAG will continue to address this issue from all angles. "The Guild is here to help filmmakers and lawmakers find the right balance between incentives and legal protections to ensure everyone has an equal footing in this industry," he said. click here for video Marlee Matlin accepts the SAG Harold Russell Award on October 6. SAG TAKES STAND AGAINST AGE DISCRIMINATION A mericans are living longer than ever, and remaining active. Even the definition of words such as "senior" and "elderly" seem to be in a state of flux, in an attempt to keep up. Unfortunately, the entertainment industry hasn't kept pace. Age discrimination is rampant and youth is still king. Most actors can play characters in a wide range of ages, but they never get that chance if someone decides that because of their real age, they "can't" play a certain 44 SCREEN ACTOR - Fall 2011 age. It's even more outrageous when it happens to voice actors, but it happens far too oſten. That's the reason Screen Actors Guild has taken a stand against the Internet Movie Database's practice of listing actors' birth dates without their consent. Along with AFTRA, SAG is asking IMDb to immediately stop posting this information. The issue received renewed attention in October, when a Texas-based actor brought a lawsuit against the website, alleging that posting her age has hurt her livelihood. It highlights the crux of the SAG.org problem: This kind of information is most likely to hurt hardworking, rank-and-file actors who are not celebrities. Employers who wouldn't ask an actor's age can now find the information just a click away, providing an easy path for age discrimination in an industry infamous for coveting youth. Making a career of being an actor isn't easy — it is time for IMDb to change its policies and remove what is a completely unnecessary obstacle for people pursuing that goal.