Mahyad Tousi is Executive Producer of the new ABC series “Of Kings and Prophets” — a dramatic take on the famous Hebrew Bible story of David’s ascent from shepherd to King. And most significantly Tousi also happens to be… Muslim! In this interview with Huffington Post, Tousi has much to say about the issue of diversity and Hollywood —
“Hollywood, like politics, is adjusting to shifting demographics in the country, but I see the problem as two fold. First, there’s a white male legacy problem: there is an inherent nepotism in the industry. It takes much longer for an outsider to get in the door. The second is an inherent lack of cultural curiosity (some would call it laziness) for stories outside the dominant culture. This translates into less diversity and often a lack of authenticity when diversity is attempted. Ultimately, it takes a lot more effort to push something down a path less travelled, and in this audiences have a big role to play.”
The producer continues, “Minorities can take a page from women’s activism by building much stronger support structures. They should actively support and celebrate their artists and storytellers far more than they are. In many ethnic communities, it’s not uncommon for families/communities to push their children away from the arts. When artists have to constantly fight to win over the approval of their families and communities, they are significantly handicapped before they have to confront the inherent legacy problems in an already competitive industry.”
