Oscar nominated The Help actress Viola Davis wants to have the same opportunities available to her as any white actress her age. Viola believes that Hollywood are still reluctant to cast black actresses in leading roles, and she all she wants is to have the same chance as everyone else as landing the leading part. Viola commented:
”All I want is to have the same opportunities as a 46-year-old white actress. I’m a lot of things other than strong, sassy, wise and dignified. I just want to be seen as equal. That’s it, simple as that.”
Viola believes that black actresses are rarely given the chance to take on a major role, while if they are given the chance, it is often in a film which is just to speak to the black community instead of a story that reaches everyone. Viola wants Hollywood to change this and put more black leads in mainstream films so that filmmakers will be more convinced of their box office draw and give everyone the opportunity to show their talent:
” I can’t think of a black actress, apart from Halle Berry maybe, who is considered a box-office draw. You can have a story about a white family living on fifth Avenue in New York that somehow speaks to all mankind, but if you have a black family in New York it only speaks to the black community apparently. ‘It sends a message to Hollywood; ‘Don’t put your money into that black film, put it on the white film.’ ”
