Zoe Saldaña has spoken candidly about her frustration with the questions she receives during Hollywood events. The Oscar winner said she is often asked about representation and inclusion when she is the only woman or person of color on a panel. She argued that such questions place an unfair burden on marginalized performers while “gatekeepers” within the industry are the people who should be asked these questions.
Zoe Saldaña has had enough of Hollywood’s political question divide
Zoe Saldaña has voiced her frustration with being repeatedly drawn into political and representation-related discussions at Hollywood events. During a conversation at the Locarno Film Festival, the Oscar winner said she often attends Q&As expecting to discuss acting. However, she says she often finds herself being asked questions about inclusion when she is the only woman or person of color on a panel.
“One thing that’s incredibly limiting, and frustrating, is when I’m the only person of color or the only woman on stage, and that happens quite a lot for women and for people of color. And I wait for my turn to be asked a question about my craft, and I’m asked the political question,” the Avatar star said. Recalling one example of such a question, the actress said she has been asked, “What do you think we need to do to make films more inclusive?”
Saldaña argued that such questions should not be directed at the only person from a marginalized background in the room. “You ask the other 80 of them that are part of the gatekeepers, and you ask them if they know the answer because I think that we’re making people of color work double to be in a room,” she added.
Saldaña was presented with a Special Honorary Pardo at the Locarno Film Festival this year by festival director Giona Nazzaro.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.
