Just in case you were wondering… Viola Davis is still everything!!! Vanity Fair released their Hollywood Issue yesterday, and this year’s cover theme is “diverse actresses in little black dresses.” I think it was a smart decision, although the inclusion of Charlotte Rampling on the cover pull-out is striking, considering she probably thought including Viola, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lupita Nyong’o was racist towards white people.
As you can see, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis and Jane Fonda made the first panel, the newsstand cover. The pull-out cover includes: Lupita, Gugu, Charlotte Rampling, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Helen Mirren, Saoirse Ronan and Diane Keaton (looking like a Mad Hatter gnome in the very back). You can see Vanity Fair’s full Hollywood Issue slideshow here. Before the ladies got all made up for the cover, Annie Leibovitz did photos of each woman as they arrived, with very little makeup and wearing their own clothes.
Anyway, I think VF did well this year, especially given the fact that in past years, VF screwed the pooch by making their Hollywood Issues look as diverse as this year’s Oscars. I personally think the 2014 cover was one of their best ever – go back and look at who they included that year. This year is okay – I’m mostly jazzed about Viola, and I’ve been waiting and hoping Gugu gets more love from Hollywood for a while (she’s a British actress). Alicia Vikander, Brie Larson, Jennifer Lawrence… they all get magazine covers often enough. So it’s not really an event or even that exclusive to see them on the cover.
Click to enlarge the full pull-out cover:
Photos courtesy of Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair.
So I guess Hispanics and Asians don’t exist along with a long list of other underrepresented groups. Alrighty then. Having a few black women doesn’t make this cover at all diverse in my opinion. There is much more diversity in this world than just black and white.
1000000000+ this!
I was thinking the same thing @kibbles and I’m the whitest, most bland blonde bitch around.
Totally agree. And I too am a bland white bitch (but not blond – yet). Poor Viola Davis – she deserves better than this.
I agree with you, for sure, but I think it’s also nice to see women of all ages featured and not just 25 year olds.
Yes, agree with this.
+ kibbles said and this age comment ++
Kibble I agree with you.
I knew this was coming.
Then why don’t hispanic and asian women speak up for themselves just like black women spoke up for themselves!? Sometimes it seems like hispanics and asians want to be the quiet model minority and expect ,and sometimes even demand, that black women do all the work for them. There seems to be an expectation that black people should carry everyone else on the back and it is frankly offensive and even racist.
@A – it’s not about other minorities speaking up for themselves. It’s about the fact that people promote this as ‘diversity’ but their idea of diversity is so single minded. Where are handicapped people? Where is LGBIT community representation on this cover? All these things, including minority groups of Asians&Hispanics, THAT is diversity, and if that was the theme of VF’s cover then they should have thought that through more carefully.
What an incredibly tone deaf thing to say. The OP did not in any way say that the black women did not deserve to be there but just that having only black women and expecting the mag to get patted on its back is incredibly obtuse. Literally no Asian or Hispanic women expect black women to shoulder their responsibility damn!
I actually agree with your sentiment. Every time this conversation comes up, it doesn’t take long for the “what about Asians and Hispanics” to come up.
What bullshyt. As a Black Hispanic woman (aka AfroLatina), I really take exception at this. Latinos have been fighting just as hard for equality as anyone else (or have you not noticed the immigration battles going on at the political front?). Unfortunately, the mainstream does think that throwing a handful of black people on the cover or in a show is all that is required for “diversity.”
@A
Asians and hispanics have been doing the fight and speaking up too. If you’re ignoring them that’s on you.
@Meatball
Yeah and we bring it up because people forget to include us in the discussion, like VF forgot to include them in their cover.
Santia, I totally agree, particularly regarding the war Hispanics fight with immigration. I don’t think A’s comment was at all fair.
Take a seat.
Exactly. Outside of immigration when was the last time Latinos or Hispanics came out en mass to protest lack of representation in Hollywood or to support Blacks in protests? They let Trump demonized Blacks and President Obama for years but only went after him when he started in on immigration.
Al Sharpton got laughed at for using his mega phone to protest the lack of Black representation in Hollywood. He has been doing it for the last 5 years. Where is the Hispanic Sharpton?
Asians have started speaking up only recently when they replace Asian characters with Whites which I’m happy to see. But they often don’t want to be seen as “loud” or “complainers” or the “non-model minority” like Blacks. Well guess what? Black people get demonized for standing up for ourselves time and time again but we are willing to take the heat. Many others aren’t but want the results of our labors. The White power structure is not going to give up on their power unless you fight for yours.
@A
I agree with your words. Though diversity should be more than black and white races. I feel like whenever people make these “what about other races” comment it comes off as anti-black like “why are black people getting more attention than us”. I’m not saying that’s what OP meant in the first comment to be clear.
It just feels like I rarely see non-black PoCs speaking up on racism (and even rarer defending black people). Yet they expect black people to fight their battles along with their own which is unfair to black people.
I don’t agree with what @A said. I know Hispanics and Asians have been fighting for diversity as well. IMO it seems much more of a Black and White thing because who has been the most discriminated against people in the United States? Blacks. In general the conversations have been Blacks are not viewed as sexy and desirable. Do we really hear that conversation about Asians or Latinos? How many Black women have been the romantic love interest of a White male in movies and TV compared to Latinos and Asians.
The Sony Hack revealed that they didn’t think Denzel would sell overseas. We didn’t hear anything like that about Benicio del Toro. Of course all races and ethnicities needs to be represented not only in Hollywood but in almost every walk of life including politics. I’m just giving my opinion that because Blacks have been so heavily discriminated against by Whites is probably one of the reasons that Blacks might seem to some to be at the top of this diversity debate.
What V4Real said x 1,000,000
The most oppressed segment tends to fight hardest and eventually come to be the physical representation of the injustice. I mean guess who sparked the struggle for female equality – lesbian women! Guess who spearheaded the struggle for LGBT equality – gay & trans people of color!
The way the race pyramid is structured, if you allow black people in, the door is instantly opened for asians, latinos and others. Because you have had a black US president, the barriers against Cruz, Rubio and Jindal are erased. Because Ms Viola is on this cover, latina and asian actresses have less struggle grabbing a future cover. We just have to be vigilant to make sure it does happen.
@A
What a tone-deaf generalization, not sure if you look outside of celebrity gossip blogs but every minority is fighting their own battles. As a Latina in the corporate world, in the Deep South, it’s a daily struggle for every.single.minority, as none of us “look like” or behave like the establishment. While the focus points may be slightly different, we all are looking for change and a better life. Believe me, nobody is pigging off of the back of African Americans for diversity recognition nor I am waiting for a Black Woman to fight a battle that is solely my own.
@V4Real- There’s a lot of your comment I agree with but tbh this comment really rubbed me the wrong way.
“How many Black women have been the romantic love interest of a White male in movies and TV compared to Latinos and Asians.”
Because I can easily name ten black actresses that have been love interest in movies as opposed to a handful of other non-black WoC so I really don’t know why you felt the need to say that? Especially when the whole point is inclusion.
Second comparing Denzel Washington and Benicio Del Toro is nonsensical because Benicio has nowhere near the star power or draw that Denzel has. No Latino actor does.
I don’t think people have an expectative of blacks carrying all on their backs. I am Latina. I do think a lot of the conversations in HW about diversity= black.
Latinos also have been dismissed, and are still. I have not seen many latin american as presidents in movies or tv, for example. And that is just characters, not actors.
here’s an Op-ed on the topic, if you are interested.”Op-Ed Hollywood’s diversity problem beyond ‘Selma’: Asian, Latino stories are missing”
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-vargasyang-diversity-hollywood-oscars-20150220-28-story.html
@Sophie I don’t think VF cover was about diversity it was about fierce women in Hollywood.
@Marty You have the right to feel how you feel. But I can name just as many or more Latinos that have been the love interest of White actors in movies and TV.
And what I said is not about inclusion. It’s about even though they are all considered women of color it’s easier for Latinos and Asians to be accepted and cast as the love interest of a White actor than it is for a Black woman to be. And unfortunately the words about not finding Blacks sexy or desirable have come from Black actresses and actors. I’m sorry that offended you but I’m just giving my opinion and expressing the opinion of some Blacks in the business.
And I am aware of movies such as Something New or Zebra Head but those movies were specifically about interracial dating. I want to see more Black women in the roles of Halle Berry’s Bond girl, not Halle Berry’s Monster’s Ball were the topic was heavily focused around race.
My statement about Denzel didn’t have much to do with how big of a name he was it was about the color of his skin and why he wouldn’t sell overseas. The Sony Hack wasn’t saying Denzel was a huge Hollywood star, they were saying he wouldn’t sell because he is Black. So yes, Benicio del Toro was a good example to use. They didn’t say a Hispanic or Asian man wouldn’t sell overseas, they were saying a Black man wouldn’t sell.
@V4Real- I never said I disagreed with you about how black actresses feel. I agree with that statement and think many black women feel like that in general.
As to Asian and Hispanic women being “more accepted” then black women as love interest to white men, I’m sorry but that’s just bullsh*t. It be one thing if you said that while non-black WoC were being celebrated for their beauty in mainstream media, but that’s rarely the case. I’m sorry but just from a factual standpoint of representation in the media were Asian, Hispanic/Latina, Middle Easteren, Indian and Aboriginal women are concerned, not only are they underrepresented but they are certainly not held up to a more acceptable beauty standard then black women. If they were, we wound see more of them in leading roles.
@Marty I guess we will have to agree to disagree. It’s not Bullshit. It’s out there for you to see that Black women, non Hispanic are less accepted in that role. How many times has Penelope Cruz been the love interest of a White actor as opposed to Hall Berry or , Regina King or Taraji P. Henson.
Ok, but Penelope is not Hispanic, she’s Spanish, and white.
Penelope Cruz is not Latino. She is a white European woman.
The fact that she speaks Spanish does not make her popularity as a love interest any more progressive than a white French actress like Marion Cotillard or an Italian actress like Monica Belluci getting cast in similar roles.
Latinos and Spaniards are not seen in the same way in the U.S., they aren’t racialized in the same way, they aren’t stereotyped in the same way, and they don’t face the same issues.
I find it strange to use Penelope Cruz as a barometer for the position in Hispanic actors in Hollywood. Even stranger is having this convo without discussing skin color or country of origin.
Relatedly, there’s certainly a lot to be said about how Hollywood loves casting Spaniards as characters that are supposed to be Latino, and how Spanish actors have been happy to take advantage of this.
V4Real wrote “How many times has Penelope Cruz been the love interest of a White actor as opposed to Hall Berry or , Regina King or Taraji P. Henson”
Danas correction aside, I think the broader point here is correct. Its not just white actors even. Even black male actors are routinely paired with latina love interests because black women are deemed undesirable in that role. I’m talking everyone from Will to Denzel. Call me the day Benecio Del Toro (who is friggin king and should have a best lead actor Oscar by now!) is paired with a black love interest.
Its hard to be too angry about it, because we all know that latina actresses arent tripping over jobs either. But lets not pretend that they arent viewed as more acceptable sexually than black women. As an illustration JLos booty is pretty standard where I come from and I dont see anybody writing articles about these butts. Shes got a standard black ass on an acceptable skin color and THATS where her fame comes.
@Naya
Danas correction aside, I think the broader point here is correct. Its not just white actors even. Even black male actors are routinely paired with latina love interests because black women are deemed undesirable in that role. I’m talking everyone from Will to Denzel. Call me the day Benecio Del Toro (who is friggin king and should have a best lead actor Oscar by now!) is paired with a black love interest.
DelToro starred in a movie w/ Halle Berry. It was called “Things We Lost in a Fire”. They did wind up together in the movie.
“There is much more diversity in this world than just black and white.”
Yep, wow, perfectly said – this whole Oscar’s debacle and the constant outpouring for a need for diversity is really irritating me. I understand that black Americans make up a larger percentage of the American population than other minority groups but it literally feels like they included 3/13 black women because they felt they had to. I liken this to when magazines/media include plus sized models for magazine covers/spreads, and they always make such a huge deal of doing so. In highlighting that the VF theme was ‘diversity’, it’s the same thing as making a huge deal of ‘plus size’ inclusion – these groups are never seen as equal because it feels like the magazines are doing them a favour/putting in extra effort to include them.
I’m also Chinese and so it strikes me as semi offensive that Hollywood’s idea of diversity is older white women and a few token black women. (Sorry if that sounded harsher than it was meant to!!0
I get what you’re saying. Having the official theme be “diversity” seemed a bit heavy-handed to me. However, I looked at the website, and they never actually mention the word ” diversity”. Apparently the theme is “Hollywood’s Fiercest Women”. Also, magazine spreads are usually done months in advance, so I’m sure this shoot was done before the #oscarssowhite controversy. Although, Vanity Fair has been receiving criticism for years for being too white, so that probably factored into their decision to include some black actresses.
This cover bears little resemblance to the world most of us live in. It’s narrow and exclusionary. In that way, it’s a perfect representation of Hollywood and the increasingly tired tropes it uses to justify its racism.
Women and people of color don’t sell movies? Oh look, Star Wars includes both and is the highest grossing movie ever.
Not harsh at all!
I’m métis (part Huron, First nation)…. and…. well, there is not much First Nations out there on magazine covers or in movies.
I do agree that hollywood needs to show a broader spectrum of minorities.
Mind you the 3 black women are not black americans. Gugu is british (and south african) and Lupita is Kenyan. One shouldn’t put all black people into one bracket either. Afro americans are not the same as kenyans, south africans or black british people. Africans for instance are very underrepresented in hollywood.
“Women and people of color don’t sell movies? Oh look, Star Wars includes both and is the highest grossing movie ever.”
I wish this was the connection to be made @Hindulovegod but it’s really not. Star Wars sells Star Wars. The actors will get no more credit for it than Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana get for Avatar. And actually Star Wars is the third biggest worldwide behind Titanic and (ugh) Avatar.
What it does prove is that certain concepts will just work and it certainly doesn’t hurt to cast “outside the box”.
The upcoming Star Wars:Rogue One also has a racially diverse (though still male dominated) cast, including two Chinese actors. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Star Wars is actually not insanely popular in China. So they’re not trying to prop up that box-office or anything.
Having said that, people want to think and hope that it’s mostly about money. That’s wishful thinking. It’s far more insidious, systemic, and malicious than that overall. Disney is evolving the Star Wars franchise and being very calculated about this. But think of all the money most of Hollywood leaves on the table not at all catering to the majority of the people in the US alone. And it is a majority when you remember women are included. How can films that don’t exist make money? And why does H-wood continue to act shocked when “Bridesmaids” makes money? Or “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” makes money? For the most part, they don’t care to know, and successes are treated like anomalies.
Goldie, Kaiser probbaly wanted to mention diversity since in the past there has not been any. But still would rather if she had not done it since now people seem to think that was a theme perhaps when this was not the best version of diversity. And I am pretty tired of this Hollywood diversity talk at this point but I guess this will be constant until the Oscars at least.
So true! The whole debate seems to have become “where are the Black actors?” To the exclusion of all others. Hey the SAGs gave Black actors awards, it’s all good now! Seems to be a very American mindset? To this Canadian that cover is diverse for age and that’s about it.
@Mia4s
Like i said further up there should be more diversity of all races. But these people are more diverse then you give them credit for. Theres a kenyan and a south african- british actress. Its actually equally annoying that a lot of the commentators act as if all black people are the same.
Exactly Leah.
It’s actually a bit sickening people lump all black people together.
Lupita is also Mexican. Hispanic is not a race.
Lupita becomes Mexican when it suits the conversation. I have read about Lupita even here on this site, people have said how being her being Mexican does not mean much because she was not even raised there, she was just born there, etc.
See Cassie’s comment down thread.
I am happy that her father was so nice to use a typical Mexican name on her, and hat she probably carries a Mexican passport as well, but then I see these comments…
Sorry no, this is not an racially diverse cover in the least. Look at the visual. That would be like saying well Jennifer Lawrence is American, Rachel Weiz is English, see diversity! Heck they could have put in Rachel McAdams and had a Canadian too! Lupita is clearly a beautiful Black woman but…uhhh…wait we meant Mexican in this case. No little girl is looking at that cover and making that distinction.
Maybe I’m being sensitive as it happens my two best friends of over 15 years happen to be Asian and Middle Eastern. The cover is an OK picture, all beautiful women, but I’m not going to pretend I’m content with this cover as a celebration of diversity.
Eh you keep saying hispanic/latina/mexican is not a race but when it doesn’t suit you all of the sudden it IS!? Make up your mind, please.
Lupita is BOTH black AND Mexican/Kenyan, what is not to get??
She was born and raised in Mexio, has mexican nationality (as well as kenyan), speaks spanish fluently.
Do you realize how offensive that is to say you are not of the country you were born and raised in? Where your individual history is? Lupita has spoken about this in interviews before.
Lupita’s words Oscars backstage:
Question:
You were born in Mexico. The Mexican Academy mentions you as one of their own, as a Mexican nominee. How much of this triumph belongs to Mexico?
Lupita: I think it belongs to me.
Lots of tone deaf comments here
Mia4s
Diversity is not just skin colour, its culture as well. Its representation of minorities. British people are not a minority in hollywood some may say we are over represented comparatively to population
Brits and americans share the same language and movie history and infrastructure. English actors have been working in hollywood since the beginning. English directors have been working in hollywood since the beginning. Its probably the easiest country to come from outside of the US, if you want to make it in hollywood.
I don’t understand how you can feasibly compare african actors who do not come from the same language and or benefit from the established infrastructure that makes it easier from them to break through in hollywoods such as brits? Africans are even further down the ladder than a black brit or a black american. There are very few successful black african actors on a world stage. There are indeed more french actors or latino actors than there are african actors.
To suggest that Lupita does not represent something different, is in my opinion insensitive to africans. If we are going to do diversity, really do it, then we include all continents, peoples, cultures, all the store that they bring to the table.
I dont disagree that asians and latinos are underrepresented at all.
A.
Lupita is not mexican. Both her parents are kenyans and that is the country she was raised in. Lupita is kenyan. Kenyan culture is however very different from black american culture.
@Ennie
Was that supposed to prove something? She said the award rightfully belonged to her.
Not Mexico, not Kenya, but her as the individual that she is.
Facts: Lupita has Mexican nationality (double citizenships counting Kenyan), was born and educated in Mexico, and speaks the language fluently.
Right or wrong she is factually speaking Mexican because she has Mexican nationality.
She has also stated many times in different interviews that she considers herself both Mexican and Kenyan. She celebrates Mexican culture, loves the food and culture that she feels is half her own.
Those are her own thoughts on the matter and I respect them and her.
Google is your friend. So is Wikipedia. Put her name in the good old search engine and tell me how much time she actually spent in Mexico.
If I happened to be born in Japan to British parents, they then moved back to Britain when I was 6 months old, then I spent 6 months in Japan as a teenager to learn Japanese, would that make me Japanese? Other than the technical dual citizenship, would you say, based on that information, that I was born, raised and educated in Japan? That I represented that culture?
Lupita is as Mexican as Ted Cruz is canadian
@A – I think you can respect Lupita’s feelings without acting as though ethnicity doesn’t matter.
In other words, if a European or Latina woman was born and raised in Kenya, I can totally respect & believe that she feels a genuine and deep connection to the country/culture.
But if Hollywood decides to cast this woman as a character that’s supposed to be Kenyan and defends it with “she considers herself Kenyan so this is fine!”, I’m going to have something to say about that.
Oh God, please don’t misunderstand what I am saying!
I am not saying Lupita should play Frida Kahlo or replace mestiza women.
What I was talking about was besides the main point about diversity. I was going a bit deeper into it and went off in another direction.
Yes.
I came here to say that I don’t need to see this woman’s armpit – black, white, or purple. I like a little glamour with my vanity fair. That is all.
Was going to say the exact same thing.
Not diverse at all.
If they were to do that, then the Hollywood issue would have to acknowledge TV because that is where the diversity is. And before someone say’s Viola Davis is on TV, she was making movies and being nominated for Oscars before her show.
Well I see a Hispanic woman there, unless you all don’t count Lupita as Mexican. She identifies as both Kenyan and Mexican, so let’s not try to diminish that. And yes there could be more diversity.
Lupita is 100% Kenyan. There’s nothing Hispanic.
She is a Black Kenyan woman who was born in Mexico and lived there for very short periods of time.
Would’ve been nice to see Priyanka Chopra or Gina Rodriguez get a little boost.
+100000
+100! So 13 women and just 3 black ones.. while 0 asians and hispanics. Cool.
And I’ll say it again: Always the same people! Enough!
(But I love Viola so much, I’m glad!)
I think this cover is a win in so many ways, but the biggest is that people are aware. The comments here about the lack of Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native American, etc are GOOD bc it has finally show that it’s entered the thinking and people are sensitive to the lack now!
And as for VF– you’ve come this far, you can do it next year! So can you too, Hollywood!
Have Hispanic and Asian audiences and actors been as vocal about demanding representation? I often read Hispanic actors/actresses in interviews saying they don’t want to be typecast as a Hispanic actor. I remember there was even one actress who said blacks shouldn’t want to play superhero roles, they should want to create their own. I am pleased that there are more Hispanic and Asians in good roles, not stereotypical ones, on television though.
Totally agree !
It’s better than it could have been, but yeah, it highlights that we still have a ways to go.
(Although, I’d point out that Lupita is technically both African and Hispanic – she spent a fair bit of her life in Mexico.)
TOTALLY AGREE. Leaving out Shu Qi, Priyanka Chopra and Gina Rodriguez doesn’t help the conversation.
I was going to say, the world is more than black and white!
I was thinking the same thing…co sign
Thank you! Diversity isn’t a black and white issue only.
Jennifer. I love you. Unclench your face. It’s not that serious.
IKR? It makes her look like Kate Winslet.
I thought it was Kate Winslet too.
Side note: I’m likely in the minority here, but I’m so freaking tired of Jennifer Lawrence.
That’s the comparison I was looking for! Thanks!
Lol she really is looking like her, with the ‘I need to hold it in’ face.. sorry that’s what came to mind.
@Lama Bean: I’m totally with you. Can’t stand her.
I thought that was Kate Winslet! The picture with Jane Fonda is very odd.
It is! weird pose!
Everyone looks like they raided the Olsen twins’ closet, maybe a little color would’ve been nice.
I think it’s the angle, the way they styled her hair, and the way Leiobwitz photoshops her subjects into oblivion. Yikes.
Ohhh that 2014 cover! Never have I ever been more jealous of Julia Roberts. This VF cover feels like a breath of fresh air amidst the privileged people telling to PoC actors to be patient or that they are racist towards white people or that they are not good enough.
Love it – amazing that an “all women” cover is such a big deal in an “all men” world.
@Ann: Agreed!.
Some of VF’s best Hollywood covers have been all-women–including the first Hollywood edition. (Which is great fun to look back on now–pretty much every ‘up and comer’ there is a big star or at least steadily working).
Most of these covers have been all-women in the past, I think the theme here is fierce woman in terms of their personalities, with some people who have just been succesfull last year included.
They do all women covers a lot for the Hollywood edition.
They go back and forth on the VF Hollywood covers – some years it’s men and women, some years it’s just men, some years it’s just women. It used to be about featuring up and coming stars, now it features folks that have had notable years.
Great editorial.
Are there Asians, South East Indians, Hispanics?
My best friends growing up were Chinese, I wanted to get there daughter an American girl doll but none represented the Asian culture. It really struck me.
There is a Chinese American doll named Ivy that lives in the 70s. My daughter has her. She is the friend of one of the main dolls.
Slightly off topic, for anyone who may be interested in an Annie Leibovitz exhibition, she has a show in London of her series ‘Women’ which I think is travelling to New York later this year. It’s free but finishes here on the 5th of Feb.
(The reason I mention this is because the picture of JLaw and Jane Fonda was being shown; I had no idea it was such a recent image!)
@Amelia: I would love to be able to see that…love the photo of Lawrence and Fonda!.
It’s pretty good, I definitely recommend it, if only because it’s good afternoon out and it’s also free.
The curation was a bit odd and I wouldn’t necessarily have paid for a ticket but it’s still worth a look. Lots of copies of her photobooks to pour over in squishy chairs. I was more interested in the stories behind the images tbh.
Was this photo shoot done before or after Charlotte Rampling made those comments? I can’t imagine it being a pleasant experience if it was after
more than likely before.
I do not think all these women are nessecarily in the photoshoot at the same time.
This would have been done a couple of months ago, probably in late November. It was before the Oscar noms even came out, back when Fonda and Mirren still had awards buzz.
Lupita why must you be so beautiful? Her features are pure perfection.
But why is she even there? Apart from Star Wars, was she in anything this year?
Star Wars itself is kind of a big deal really.
Star Wars is huge, but she’s barely in it and no one’s really talking about her performance. A lot of people didn’t even realise she had a part/played that part. Daisy or Carrie would have made much more sense if they wanted Star Wars.
Tessa Thompson had an amazing year with Dear White People and Creed. She should have been included.
@CornyBlue
Star Wars is a big deal, but is Lupita’s role in it? I admit I haven’t watched the movie but a (small part?) CG character as her “big thing” since she won the oscar doesn’t make things looks to great for her.
@Linn I mean more reason for including her then ? Since she was one of the most famous Oscar wins in recent years and yet as a black women is not able to land jobs when she is incredibly talented? She does have two other movies coming out this year tho.
If they wanted a Star Wars actress they should have chosen daisy Ridley. She’s doing more as a feminist role model for little girls than a lot of these women and she was the LEAD in the movie!
Lupita does look gorgeous though.
Lol. They way blog sites made it look last year and before it was shown, I actually thought Lupita had a big role in the movie. She is beautiful and very talented, I wish she would get more actual acting jobs and not just parading gowns on rc event and premieres.
Why question why Lupita is there and not Jane Fonda, Rachel Weisz, Helen Mirren or Diane Keaton? None of their work this year has had anymore of an impact than Lupita’s. At least Lupita had a small role in the most globally seen movie of the year along with her more recent Oscar win.
@Original T.C.
How dare you attempt to introduce sense and logic into this? Are you blind? Cant you see we are in the middle of a mindless take down?!
I have to agree.. as much as I love Lupita her role was really small and not all that great compared to Daisy.
She just steals the full cover. She’s so elegant and graceful.
Why is Diane Keaton included?
The diversity does not only refer to race but to age as well. Like her or not, Keaton has had some sort of a career renaissance after “Something’s Gotta Give”.
She’s the Hollywood legend inclusion of the year.
I’m more confused as to why Rachel Weisz is there. No that I dislike her but she hasn’t done much lately so it feels random.
edit. Oops, I forgot she was in Youth. Back when they shot this they must have thought the film would be a big awards player.
Doesn’t she look like she’s photobombing everyone else?
I just get annoyed that she tries to play off hiding her hands and neck as ‘quirky charm’. It’s just because she’s uber vain about how the rest of her face looks young, but the neck and hands always give you away. She’s super annoying and always been.
Because she’s fabulous. She’s Diane Keaton!
Nope. Over it. Totally. It’s not actually diverse as others have pointed out. Some on that cover have put their feet in their mouths over the issue of diversity anyway so who cares about their participation. As always, how does Annie lebowhatsit get jobs? I could take the over photoshop ing if the images were any good to begin with but they’re not and there is no exuse now. Just no to the whole thing.
And another thing: if they really wanted to go with “fierce” they should have replaced Jennifer Lawrence with Gwendolyn Christie. Why is she not on more covers?? She’s gorgeous and interesting. Star wars was huge and when was the last time we had a lady villain in sci fi? I don’t care about katniss anymore; that’s probably just me though. J law is officially on my irrational (well maybe not so much anymore) annoyance list.
I’ve never been a fan of Leibovitz. Her photos are always washed out and her subjects might as well be corpses. As for Christie, she didn’t do much in Star Wars and she wasn’t much of a villain so I don’t see why she would be included. If they did one of these issues for TV around the time of the Emmy’s I can see her being apart of it.
Really glad Gugu was included, she is lovely.
Love it…gorgeous. The cover especially!.
Personal favorites: Jennifer Lawrence (loving how regal she looks), Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, the kookiness of Diane Keaton!, Cate Blanchett.
Maybe use one of these never before featured diverse actressess as the header pic then ?
I didn’t even recognize Jane Fonda on the cover with all that filler in her face..
I am fascinated that the Hollywood diversity debate seems to constantly be simplified to Black and White. By American demographics the exclusion of Hispanics from this cover seems insane. Oh and you do have Asians in the USA right?
That’s what struck me also.
Black and white? You have a kenyan/Mexican, a brit biracial and an African American.
Yes, all of them are black or part black but not all black people are the same or share the same background so to say that is not diversity is to put black people into one box.
Furthermore, VF never called this issue ‘diversity’ just ‘fierce women’.
Also, you can be black and hispanic, white and hispanic, asian and hispanic etc it’s not a race! Educate yourself.
You’re wrong about Lupita. She is 100% Kenyan who was born in Mexico. There’s nothing Hispanic in her.
You know there are black Mexicans, right? Go to Mexico, black people have been in Mexico since its inception.
Lupita was born, raised,educated in Mexio and has mexican nationality. She speaks spanish fluently and considers herself both Mexican and Kenyan.
Oh yeah. I’m so satisfied with that.
Thats like putting Louis CK on the cover and telling us it’s diverse because he’s representing Native Americans/Mexicans.
Oh don’t worry guys, this is diverse – see theres a South African here. So chill. Yeah she’s fully Scandinavian but whatever.
When Viola smiles she looks completely different. I almost did not recognise her.
It is beautiful but why is Keaton there and could they not have had any other POC there? I mean even Priyanka Chopra did more than Keaton this year.
She would have been an excellent and fitting addition for the cover…they don’t get that diversity is bigger than just black and white.
It seems they went more movie-Hollywood than TV-Hollywood (even though Viola Davis’s big success right now is on TV she’s still identified more with movies I think). But they would’ve had a MUCH bigger pool if they had done both or focused on TV (unlikely as it’s geared around the Oscar season). TV is way ahead of movies in diversity–for all the credit the SAGs got for being more diverse, most of those they showed won for TV and that was represented in the Emmys as well. Idris Elba (for his Beasts role) was one of the few differences between SAG and Oscar–save for him, and 2 Best Picture equivilant noms–the noms and winners pretty much lined up with the Oscar noms.
i’m glad that the VF cover includes some diversity. seeing women of various ages and black women included in the issue is great. and i don’t want to detract from that positive step foward.
as for other diverse women – latino or asian – we are fighting the first battle of getting roles. maybe it’s different for latino actresses as i do see a number of them, but as an asian american, i really don’t see that many asian actors or actresses at all. maybe that’s because we all go into other professions due to parental pressure (the tiger mom is real!) but we have to first get into the films and then, get recognized.
i will say that i very much appreciate the struggle and fight that black people have faced throughout the history of this country though – and that i’m sure that other people of color have undoubtedly benefited greatly from their fight for equality and recognition.
Viola’s portrait is a piece of art. She seems vulnerable with all her feelings in her eyes. Beautiful
This cover shows that I am tired of seeing Jennifer Lawrence and there should have been more women of color on the cover. Gina Rodriguez, Constance Wu….. more.
If Constance Wu had been white she would have outshined Amy Schumer as the funniest girl around in the media. Wu is just an incredible actress and has some of the best comic timing.
The Hollywood issue is always film focused. Viola is currently on TV but she’s also a seasoned film actress with two Oscar noms. Everyone else is primarily/currently a film actress.
Is this diversity?
I was having a conversation about movies with my sister. And sadly realised that our we don’t see our faves in movies that much Bcz Hollywood is freaking repetitive.
I’m glad Brie is making some noise this year, I want the same noise for Gugu 😍
Lawrence, Davis, Fonda and Blanchett on the main cover. What a group of amazing actresses!
I love all the black actresses in the cover (particularly happy for Gugu who’s criminally underrated), but it upsets me people are so glad of their inclusion crying diversity. Eh, that’s exactly 2 races represented on the cover. What about the rest of the world?
You have a kenyan/Mexican, a brit biracial and an African American.
Yes, all of them are black or part black but not all black people are the same or share the same background so to say that is not diversity is to put black people into one box.
Furthermore, VF never called this issue ‘diveristy’ just ‘fierce women’.
Lupita was born in Mexico but she’s got as much Mexican blood in her veins as Cate Blanchett. And that still doesn’t take away from the fact no hispanic, asian, middle eastern, etc. was thought of as worthy of a cover.
This is not a diss on black people and I’m shocked anyone would see it as that. It’s a diss on Hollywood and it’s racist standards.
“Lupita was born in Mexico but she’s got as much Mexican blood in her veins as Cate Blanchett.”
Wow. Ok.
Many racists would agree with you. If you are born and raised in a country you are not of said country if your parents aren’t? She has Mexican nationality.
As much as you’d like to erase that she is BOTH Mexican and Kenyan and considers herself as such. She speaks spanish fluently and has mexican nationality and was born there, grew up and was raised there.
Most ignorant thing I’ve read today.
A quick peek over at Wikipedia says that her parents moved back to Kenya before she was a year old and then her parents sent her to Mexico to learn Spanish for 7 months when she was 16. That’s hardly being raised there. She does have citizenship because she was born there.
OOps Josefina, I’ll remember to tell that to my german-mexican sis in law. 100% german blood , proud of her parents culture, but also very much mexican by birth. She was raised here, tho, unlike Lupita.
In a way, I do not see Hispanic or Latin culture representatives in the cover. There are Hispanic nominees from other years… where are they? Where are the other ethnicities (other than the ones already represented).
@A
“She’s got as much Mexican blood in her veins as Cate Blanchett”. That’s a fact. Not my opinion. Your DNA is not altered by learning Spanish, being born in Mexico and saying you’re Mexican. If she’s proud of her involvement with Mexican culture that’s cool, but we’re talking about racial diversity and Lupita is not racially Mexican. And yeah, yeah, Mexican is not a race, but all latin countries were built off miscegenation, from the cross between the European Spaniards and the several aborigins of each respective land. The vast majority of Mexico has it’s roots there. The vast majority of Latin America has it’s roots there. Saying Lupita’s Mexican because she just happened to be born there and talks Spanish is disrespectful to our history.
@Ennie
Your sis in law can absorb all the Mexican culture she wants, and be proud of it, and participate in it, and blah blah blah. But her DNA will remain german. Genetics aren’t racist, they just are.
I disagree with you here, Josefina.
Mexican culture =/= genetics.
Mexican (in this case) maybe means mestizo to you. Maybe you call mexican the mixture, but you are forgetting many, many things. My husband’s family -the eldests, particularly- are almost 100% European lineage. They look the part and know most of their family tree, which is exceptional. They are MEXICAN , the have not been “absorbing” they are , as much as I am, even I am more “mixed” but still look not “Mexican” enough.
There is a history of German-Mexicans, there have been generations of immigrants, such as the Lebanese immigration, Jewish, or the Spanish one. Most of them just became Mexicans. They keep their traditions just as Mexican-Americans usually do when they live elsewhere.
There are Afro-Mexicans, those who live in the South. Maybe Vicente Guerrero was not Mexican enough?
Mexican isn’t a race…..
The cover in theory is great–love the age diversity and racial diversity (though I agree it’s a shame no other minorities made the cut)–but I hate the execution. I just don’t think AL did a good job this time at all and most of the women look harsh and haggard–including my girl crush Helen Mirren. The styling is a big no for me. They did a good mix with classics and up & comers–plus a number of current nominees (JLaw, Saoirse, Brie and Alicia). I would’ve liked to see Daisy Ridley but I don’t know who she would’ve bumped–her age group is the above and they have the nomination thing this year. Charlotte Rampling (nomiantion aside) and Diane Keaton seem like odd choices but Jane Fonda is having a career resurgence. Maybe Zoe Saldana? I know she bugs some people but with Guardians of the Galaxy, Avatar and the Star Trek franchise, she has more box office than anyone there except maybe J-Law. Love GuGu–really stunning and a very good actress.
I’m actually not all that impressed with the cover. I guess maybe if they didn’t have the majority of the WoC on the portion of the cover that no one on the newsstand will see. Not to mention, Also, why Jennifer Lawrence instead of Brie Larson or Alica Viklander who are getting better reviews for their roles? I think JLaw has had enough covers.
And finally, how on earth did they manage to make the gorgeous Helen Mirren look so thin and unwell??
JLaw sells covers. The other two are untested.
Jlaw is famous and loved. Brie is begining With oscar buzz but brie and vikander have not jlaw power to sell…
The reviews for Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in JOY have been fantastic-Larsen and Vikander are nowhere near the level (critical acclaim, prestige, clout, power, etc.,) that Lawrence is…
Hence, Jennifer Lawrence is rightfully on the cover, Larsen and Vikander still have a long way to go…if they do at all as the kind of success that Jennifer Lawrence has achieved comeds around once every twenty to twenty-five years.
Vikander’s critical acclaim for this year has been way way more than JLaw’s. I mean i get that she is JLaw but if you bring acclaimed performances Vikander and LArson are both ahead.
@CornyBlue
Jennifer Lawrence has 4 oscar noms under her belt whereas Alicia and Brie both have 1. In fact, Jlaw is the youngest nominee ever to have 4 noms in a row.
So please explain how Alicia and Brie are ahead of Jlaw in the acclaimed performances category (you can’t because your post is just factually incorrect.)
@grabbyhands
Lawrence has raves for her performance. Most of critics saiid that is a movie star performance
It’s saddening that we’re reduced to counting how many “minority” people there are on a magazine cover. Here’s hoping this is a transition to a culture where “diversity” is a given.
I didn’t recognize JLaw–too ‘shopped. I like Rachel Weisz, but haven’t seen her in a dog’s age. Why was she placed in the center?
The center piece isn’t in the main cover. BTW Rachel Weiz was in Youth and this year she will be in many movies. She’s coming back and it’s great
Oh good, can’t wait! ^ v
Rave reviews for The Lobster.
I would have loved it if they had included Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson and Priyanka Chopra. But the cover is pretty nice other than that.
That would have been too much colour for some peoples taste. Can you imagine all those ladies, plus some of these ones on a cover? Stunning!
Lol! You’re probably right. It would have just been toooo much.
ROTFL Ok?!?!? 3 BEAUTIFUL Black Girls isn’t diversity, ffs It’s tokenism Get Leslie Jones in there, Find me Asian talent, get the latinas, HAHAHAHAH it’s so diverse cause they found all the over 25 working actresses in Hollywood who also happen to be lily white… adorable Try though
YES! I love Viola, Lupita, and Gugu, I think they are all terrific actresses that deserve that cover. But let’s be real, this is Hollywood’s idea of diversity not actual diversity.
Yeah. Sigh. Like I said downthread. Hollywood has a long ass way to go.
Wonder why I’m being modded. NV the post showed up.
You know there could have been more diversity, but I am a little weary of labeling the 3 woc as tokens. They deserve they’re spot as much as the others. I know you all would agree, Just as a woc I’ve had that token label thrown at me before to diminish my accomplishments, so maybe I’m being sensitive to that lol. I watched a video with the people creating this shoot and they mentioned they had this list before the oscars debacle. Also Lupita is Latino and identifies as such.
Exactly! It’ll be so nice when magazines and movies include all types of people just because it’s NORMAL and not for the sake of using the word “diverse” or to fill a quota.
Nebby, I feel what you’re saying. The 3 women of color that they used most definitely deserve to be there. Talented, hard working and beautiful. I guess it just seems as if they only included them because of all that’s been going lately. And if it wasn’t for that they might not have. Not sure though. And about Lupita, I thought that she just happened to be born while her parents were living in Mexico? I don’t know she identified as Latino. Interesting!
Almondjoy, I didn’t know at first either but she had an interview last year saying she considers herself both Mexican and Kenyan which she is. I’m not sure how long she lived in Mexico after her birth but being born there makes her a citizen and she speaks the language too.
Mexican citizinship doesn’t change your DNA, though. Both her parents are from Kenya. If she identifies with Mexican culture that’s great but that’s a separate issue from her race.
Latino is not a race, as Latin America is a diverse continent with many races living within it (I know that because I live there). But we have our history too, and the miscegenation between the races happens to be a pivotal part of it.
Her parents moved back to Kenya before she was 1 and they sent her to Mexico for 7 months when she was 16 to learn Spanish.
There’s nobody like Annie Leibovitz to make a large group of people look stiff, bored and uncomfortable.
Right? How can you title this “fierce women” and they all look constipated and uncomfortable.
Fonda was gushing over JLaw in her video. Very sweet
Weiz does not look much like herself here. Lawrence, Lupita, Larson and Gugu look the best here. Blanchett seems the one of the cover who gets magazine covers most often and I am a little tired of her.
I get what everyone is saying about other underrepresented groups. And I agree that diversity shouldn’t just be black and white. But the sad reality is Hollywood has a loooooong way to go before we see the kind of diversity that represents the real world.
I do love that Viola is front and center. Your eyes just gravitate straight to her. I want all good things for her and hope she continues to shine.
There is never going to be the same level of diversity as in the real world, I think. People want to see a fantasy, this is what they pay for. in a fantasy all women are gorgeous. They might have a different skin color/ ethnicity but being beautiful is the foremost requirement.
YAWN at Jlaw. Brie should have been on the cover.
The general population has no idea of who Brie is. Room, despite all its fabulous reviews, has taken in 10-15 million at the box office, Joy has brought in 95 million (never mind Mockingjay 2). Brie’s public profile will grow massively after her inevitable Oscar win. But Lawrence is on four noms, and coming off the Hunger Games – and magazines sell on the basis of the stars they put on their covers.
Room has $9 million at BO at the moment. Not good
@Joni: No…Larsen should not be on the cover-most people don’t know who the hell she is. The Oscar win will raise her profile, but she still, will not be a household name.
The cover, as it is, is fantastic.
P.S. @ Katie Oh: Agreed!.
@Joni
Stay pressed. Lawrence is a movie star and the youngest actor male or female to be nominated four time at Oscars
Diverse-ish? White It-Girls, and the Black Actresses Whose Names We Can Remember This Year? Where is everybody else? Also, Jennifer’s Blue Steel is killing me.
Agree. Not good enough VF. 3/13 women are visible minorities, the rest are white.
I love the fact that they included 4 actresses past 60. Viola’s portrait is very moving. .so much pain, emotion, humanity. I love it. Gugu’s face is just perfection. Alicia is pretty but generic. I like the photo of Jane Fonda and J-Law, like two sides of the same coin or two ends of a spectrum.
If this is diversity, my name is Mary Poppins and I can fly!!!
No Latinas!? … oh, wait… from what I am reading here is that I expect a black woman to fight my battle… WTH?!?! Please!
Oh, wait! Forgot!! I’m expected to believe that AV “olive skin” is not a product of self tanning lotions, and she can pass for Latina. Ah, now I get How I am represented in this picture and totally get on the diversity bandwagon.. NOT!
Well you have a Latina on the cover and that’s Lupita. Unless you don’t consider her “Latina” enough. Were you looking for a olive skin Latina?
Lupita is not Latina! She is Kenyan! She was born in Mexico and got Mexican citizenship!
It’s not about White. Gisele Bundchen is not considered Latina when she is one just because she looks German. Her family has being living in Brazil for over 120 years.
Lupita was born and raised in Mexico, got mexican nationality and speaks spanish fluently!
She is Mexican and considers herself as such AS WELL as Kenyan.
Gisele is considered Brazilian and is practically ‘the face’ of brazil with how much work she gets there and no one says anything about South African whites like Charlize Theron, only when it is a black person who is born and raised in Europe or some other country where they aren’t expected to be is it a problem.
Then it becomes ‘black british’ or nigerian norweigan’, but not REALLY british-british and NOT really norweigan even if that is the only country they have known as home.
Let’s face it, it is a racist notion and there is no defending it.
Lupita just says she considers herself half Mexican when its convenient, I dont think she actually feels culturally Latina at all.
Well Mexico is apart of Latin America and Mexican-Kenyan woman considers herself Mexican and Kenyan with the legal papers to prove it sooo I’m gonna agree with her. Maybe I’ve got my Hispanic/Latina mixed to which I’d apologize if I do. Are you all looking for a tan race of people or someone from that area? And I consider Giselle Brazilian/whatever she believes she is. To Clarify I didn’t mention anything about white, Lola mentioned olive skin. And lastly I agree there could be more diversity.
LUPITA WAS NOT RAISED IN MEXICO. Why do you keep posting this everywhere?
Why are you arguing about this? This is a legitimate complaint. There are no native American/Latin women to be found in this “hollywood diveristy” discussion. Much less Asian. This cover is not ‘featuring diverse actresses yay!’. Come on.
@Nebby: Variety… tall, short, thin, plus size, lesbian, transgender, ALL skin tones, ALL nationalities, ALL ethnic backgrounds, ALL ages. For me, if you don’t have all those, this is NOT showing diversity.
To answer your question, no, I don’t think she is Mexican, I think she is Kenyan. Know plenty of people, who are born in one country but identify themselves with where they were raised. A passport don’t mean much.
And no, don’t considered latinas as Only olive skin tone, the comment was directed as what the media thinks can sell me, when the reality is that I know better.
There is a Swede, an Australian, a Brit, an Irish, a Kenyan/ Mexican on that cover. Diversity is not limited to the skin color.
You can respect Jane Fonda or loathe her for her politics, but damn, at 77 she is one gorgeous woman.
The women are gorgeous but the cover is boring.
Too little. I’m sorry, but there is 1 black actress per panel. Whoo hoo! /sarcasm
What about Gina Rodriguez? She’s an up and coming actress who’s going to be in the next Star Wars sequel. What about other minority actresses?! This just seems like a rather lame attempt to include some color in an otherwise all-white ensemble.
Has it actually been confirmed that Gina R is going to be in the star wars sequal? I remember reading she auditioned but nothing seems to have been confirmed.
Well apparently latin women should just shut our mouths here because Lupita lived in Mexico for seven months and we should be thankful for at least that. Dios mio…
I like a lot of those women, while I could have gone without Charlotte Rampling, Brie Larson, J-Law, Alicia Vikander and Cate Blanchet .. Also, I feel like the only one who did minimal make-up (or zero) was Viola. J-Law was in full make-up, just because it’s not dark doesn’t mean it’s not there.. also someone needs to tell her to stop with the resting bit*face.
I love that they’re all women but personally, I liked more the 2014 cover/editioral, more diversity in every aspect (bonus Idris).
This has turned out to be an interesting thread. I think it is a diverse cover. I think it could be more diverse though. Now to touch on an earlier topic, there is a representation problem when it comes to diversity in Hollywood and that tends to mirror the people that are speaking out and taking the backlash.
Now, my non-black PoC friends are some of the first ones to speak out on issues race and diversity so it’s not like there isn’t an appetite for this debate among them, but I barely ever see high profile non-black PoC celebrities do the same and that’s an issue. It’s one of media coverage(Are they covered when they speak out?), low numbers among that group (Are there folks with a high enough profile to speak out and be effective?), and just one of self interest .
Gina Rodriguez (my hero of 2015) has spoken up constantly about diversity, but she’s not the only actress of latino descent and she isn’t the most influential at the moment. Where was Oscar Isaac, Benecio Del Toro, or Javier Bardem? I bet Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu, two highly regarded directors, could have added a lot more to the conversation as well. Could you have imagine how much of a sh*tshow the oscars would have become if one of the frontrunner for Best Director had even raised the notion that he was going to boycott because of the lack of diverse nominees. It would have been a hell of a lot more influential than Jada Pinkett Smith, who can really only speak to what it is like being a black actress in Hollywood.
I partly agree but Latinos do speak, yet sadly no one pays attention to them. Gina is amazing and has been very vocal about these issues, but so has been América Ferrerra, Diego Luna, Gael García even Sofía Vergara and Eva Longoria. Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro have taken actions in their films, both have casted black, latinos and asians in leading roles in their films (beside from producing films in México).
I guess part of the reason why no many more of them are talking have to do with the fact that they are in the most vulnerable position in Hollywood, Latino actors are the worst paid minority, and super underrepresented even the fact that Latinos are the second biggest audience to go to the cinemas. I think maybe they don’t want to burn their bridges.
Also some of them don’t seem to be actually proud of their heritage, see Oscar Isaac or Jessica Alba, and that has to do a lot with treatment latinos have, not only in the media but in the society.
Oscar Isaac talks about being latino quite often. He has talked about the lack of latino representation in Hollywood many times and how latino characters are often stereotypes, and even did so after his Golden Globes win. you should probably know who you’re talking about before you go around accusing people of not being proud of their heritage.
I think that the Mexican directors are happy to be working. They do work a lot and seem happy to somehow be breaking away of the stereotypes imposed on the actors.
They have interests, other than just tell hispanic stories.
There have been directors who like to tell stories about their own culture, like Spike Lee does, in Mexico there was a strong period of classical Mexicanism/nationalism in art in the 1940s. There were many many strong, original and quality movies and pieces of art referring to Mexican culture and struggle.
These more modern directors have already branched out. The Mexican stories are not something new to them. They grew up with them.
The times are calling for the Hispanic directors to actually do it, but the more successful ones have already branched out and are working with themes that currently appeal to them, and they are not always Mexican or hispanic centric topics. They have been there, done that, just look at their filmography.
.
Oscar Isaac and others, like Bruno (Hernandez) Mars in music do not seem to want to be recognized as Latino probably because they do not want to become stereotyped, like others before them.
Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz are from Spain and technically not minorities or people of color. They are European.
I give them props for having a few “older women” but overall not impressed by the selection – and I’m super white and find it annoying to see. Sick of seeing j.law please go away for a while…Jane Fonda looks funky -plastic surgeon on speed dial obviously…I’m w you Serena loved 2014 cover…I get that Annie L is “the photographer” to use but it gets old…lets see a new photog’s work perhaps as well
I don’t know what Jane Fonda is doing on the cover, let alone the front leaf. Alicia Vikander, who has been in multiple major movies recently, should be there. Cate Blanchett could also take a back seat for a change. Then there’d be room for a brunette and someone else on the cover people actually see.
I agree. And I’m so over seeing JLaw everywhere.
Love love Viloa’s pic it speaks volumes!
I am Afro-Latina ancestry and experience racism from white, black, Asian and from my own fellow Hispanics. To me racism can exist in anyone, any given time and even from peers you consider, racially, one of your own.
I feel “diversity” is the new racism in Hollywood. Nobody should be attacking black actors and actresses for speaking up for themselves. Blacks entertainers have been fighting for better representation for decades. Long before movies even had damn sound. The history of blacks wanting equality in American entertainment industry is a very, very old battle.
As for non-black and non-white actors/actress have also been fighting for the same equality. But it is not the responsibility for black actors to fight for Hispanic and Asian representation in Hollywood. Black actors can stand aside them, support them but they can’t make their voices be heard.
But I feel people attitudes, especially those who are non-black nor white, tend to attack those black actors who speak about diversity. Those black actors are speaking out against the “token” quota Hollywood, as well other outlets in American entertainment to solve the “diversity” issue in Hollywood.
The issue here is consistency, the issue is allowing better opportunities and casting of minorities throughout the spectrum of American culture. Black actors, and I express again, have been fighting this fight even before movies had sound. And are still fighting for their right today to be recognize among all their peers in Hollywood. On or off the screen and not just in reward shows or magazines.
People shouldn’t forget who is the real enemy. And its not outspoken black actors/actress but these lousy entertainment companies who use “diversity,” to mask their own racism. Blame Vogue not Viola Davis, she is just another chess piece. Blame the media who creates these images and opportunities because they are the ones who create the limitation.
Love this response +11111111
Is anyone really attacking Viola Davis? Is anyone against the fact those 3 women are on the cover?
What I’m saying is diversity doesn’t mean much at all if you’re still excluding a huge lot of people out of the equation. I’m not saying black people should fight for everyone, or that they should shut up in any way. I respect their fight. My diss is aimed at the people they are fighting AGAINST, who make a little progress and call it a day.
“As for non-black and non-white actors/actress have also been fighting for the same equality. But it is not the responsibility for black actors to fight for Hispanic and Asian representation in Hollywood. Black actors can stand aside them, support them but they can’t make their voices be heard”
Jesus. How incredibly ignorant you are.
Needs more Mongolians
Viola especially has been very focal in the fight. Instead of letting this woman enjoy her cover, the first comments lament this being a perceived black and white issue.
Really?
Nobody claimed the fight was over, but bitterness instead of enjoying every victory hardly fosters cross-ethnic bonds.
I’m seeing some very interesting comments in this thread; Mexican DNA, sick of black and white, other POCs not joining the fight but expecting reparations etc.
It’s a sad state of affairs.
Didn’t take long before people forgot the larger issue and started acting like it is black actors that are in fact excluding others and thus they are tired. Really, though? No, they fought and sometimes, even on a small scale like this, they get.
Rather than congratulating them (you don’t have to congratulate VF), and encouraging improvements to include more POCs and humans in general, it turns into crabs in a barrel. Good luck with that.
I don’t see comments bashing black people, I think is great people like Viola Davis are finally being recognized as the great artists they are, and I’m happy for Gugu and Lupita. The problem some of us are having is the use of the word “diversity”, when you see 10 white women and 3 black actresses, and thats it. Is this a positive step for real diversity? maybe, but at the moment this is not a cover showing real diversity, and that’s why some people are saying it feels as black/white issue. Also that bitterness comes both ways, the sad truth is there is no unity between minorities.
These comments are unbelievable. When others mention they feel underrepresented and state the FACT that this is not diversity it’s somehow an attack on black women? And how black people shouldn’t have to fight our battles for us, are you kidding me?
Apparently, we have done very little suffering and work towards the advancement of our people in comparison to black Americans. Crabs in a bucket? More like pulling others ladders up from behind you.
Saks,
The only people who used the term diversity are the people in this thread. Then all hell broke lose and it turned into a giant squabble with people talking about this person is this or they are not, or DNA and all manner of things.
The fight is 100% not over, I believe everyone acknowledges that. Some comments though are particularly alarming in the way the ire seems to no longer be directed at where it should be.
Marisa,
This comment in particular highlights that. You’ve run with this notion of being accused of not having suffered? Your aggression is clouding your judgement. No one claimed Latin@s have not suffered, that would be a nonsensical claim from anyone with half a brain.
Look at the tone of this thread, at times it got very ugly and questionable (Mexican DNA???). Your last comment in particular was quite appalling given the history of your country – pulling up ladders behind them? How disingenuous of you.
I will reiterate as a person who is neither black,American or Latin@, the fight is not 100% over. However, I fully congratulate viola Davis in her consistency and small victory in heading towards being some kind of recognised talent in that industry. I love when any woman like her succeeds even a little bit in life.
It’s a general issue of representation. I would love to see more people of the world represented who have an vested industry in whatever industry they partake. Especially the worldwide entertainment industry as a person who is rarely if ever positively reflected in film or TV, might I add. Be it Hollywood or any equivalents in European/Latin films,
I would hope all industries begin to tap into the amazing and inclusive pools of talent they have available. I would be overjoyed to see Asian American and Latin American actors and actresses included on those covers. Even, maybe someday in the future, actors and actresses that represent us all.
Is Vanity Fair really telling me that there are no Asians, Indians, Hispanics, American Indian, First Nation or Aboriginal people working in Hollywood? Oh please!! Just another bland mainstream cover.
They would have already shot this before Charlotte’s thoughts on the oscars came out.
I also wouldnt say its fair to say that Brie gets magazine covers all the time. She has recently broken out due to Room, but she wasn’t that well known before hand.
I am here because of Gugu…. Gosh, she is soooo beautiful in my eyes. Oh and I wish Kerry Washington would have been there, too.
To me a bigger issue is an economic issue. If you become a nurse/ engineer/ accountant you know you are going to have a stable paycheck coming out of college. That is the thinking of most poor and middle class people.
To become an actor one either needs to have family money or be prepared to live in poverty for the rest of their life.
We celebrate Lupita but she is very privileged. Many people don’t have the same opportunities, If we are talking about making opportunities for all talented people then we should have scholarships based on talent and family income and then we’ll see more diversity.
I am personally a proponent of free college education. I think it could correct many of the American society’s ills.
Diane Keaton on the end there lol….looks just like a good photobomb
I see comments of people criticizing the Asians and Hispanics for being so quiet, and that if they want to be heard, to speak up. It’s hard when there’s a threat of deportation looming over you or a family member at all times. Can you imagine the fear of driving, because if you get pulled over for anything, it won’t just end with a ticket? Our generation was raised by parents that taught us to go with the flow, not cause trouble, and be “good”. so when we say ” what about Asians or Hispanic?” It’s not being racist, it is just us trying to be heard.
You know what would have been nice? If the header photo actually showed one of those diverse actresses rather than Jennifer Lawrence. The white girl.
I presume the only reason the said diversity became pointedly black and white was so that the PoC end up squabbling over why the only PoC shown were black while the white people generally chill because they’re always represented.
It only show that it will be never enough for some people, so why cares? Even if they would have chosen people from every culture possible, then you would have people who will ask “where are the fat people?” etc. Since 1-2 years people go crazy with political correctness, it exhausting.
There’s only ONE African-American on that cover. I wish Americans would stop referring to all Black people as African-American. Really, how hard is it to just think about the words before speaking/writing them. Idris Elba is not African-American. Neither is Gugu, or Chiwetel, or Lupita, or Marianne (actually saw her DIRECTLY referred to as African-American in a print interview years ago in which, IN THE SAME paragraph, it was mentioned that she was born, raised, and lives IN ENGLAND — incredible!), or Thandie or David.
THANK YOU!!
@ LyingLiars
Are you SERIOUS? The word African was not my point. It’s the word AMERICAN being applied to people who – HELLO? – aren’t American.
I think diversity should be sponsored by the government and nonprofit organizations not by market driven industries. A lot of the time people gravitate toward entertainment that feature similar looking people in fantastical situations. If the minority becomes larger or becomes the majority then the market will follow that trend.
MORE government control? No thanks.
Just for fun I calculated the demographic breakdown. To be truly representative it should be about 8 white women, 2 latina women, 1.5 black women, .6 Asian women, and .25 of a Native American (perhaps a middle finger photobombing the shot).
Obviously, if the history of Hollywood had actually been representative there would be no need to fight over ever single bone that is thrown towards diversity. As it is, I think they would have to have several years of non-white covers to make up for it.
If it’s any comfort to unrepresented minorities, I never buy this issue, it’s colossally boring.
(And Wren33, I love the photo bomb idea)
Eh, I’ll give them praise if they keep this up in 2017, 2018, et al.