Latinos Lag in Lead Roles on Netflix, Despite Gains in Female Representation

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Netflix Inc has increased the number of Asian and women in lead roles, but still lags in representing Latinos, the disabled and women of color, a study by the streaming platform and the University of Southern California (USC) found. While Hollywood has made strides in diversity in recent years, some communities criticize the lack of progress, both on and off screen.

To understand the lack of representation in the industry, Netflix partnered with USC and founder of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Dr. Stacy L. Smith, to analyze the inclusion metrics of the streaming service from 2018 to 2021 based on gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+ and disabled. The study released on Thursday showed increased opportunities for women in lead roles, directing and key creative jobs.

However, Netflix still lacks significant representation of characters with disabilities, gender-balanced storytelling in series, roles for girls and women of color and opportunities for women writers. Despite 27% of the U.S. Population identifying as disabled, only 1.1% of all characters in Netflix films and series have a disability, the study found.