SAG-AFTRA Panelists Share Struggles Of Actors Of Middle Eastern & North African Descent
Deadline
2 hrs ago
Five years ago, an actor of Middle Eastern descent arrived at a studio test for a major cable TV show that was looking to diversify its cast and was asked by the casting director what percentage Latino he was. “I’m not Latino,” he replied. “I’m Egyptian.” Without apologizing, the casting director said: “We can’t move you forward, unfortunately, because that’s not diverse.”
The actor told Deadline: “It was stated as factual, as if that is the normal trend in the business. Which is weird because everywhere else I’m never considered white — definitely not by U.S. Customs when I cross the border and get randomly selected and held back for two to four hours.”