Jewish entertainers’ group criticises Academy over diversity efforts

More than 260 Jewish members of the entertainment industry, including actors David Schwimmer, Julianna Margulies and Josh Gad, have signed an open letter criticising the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excluding Jewish people as an underrepresented group in its diversity efforts.

The letter, which was organised by Jew in the City’s Hollywood Bureau for Jewish Representation was sent to the Academy on Tuesday, 9 January.

It begins: “We write as actors, directors, producers, executives, agents, screenwriters, and other industry professionals. While we applaud the Academy’s efforts to increase diverse and authentic storytelling, an inclusion effort that excludes Jews is both steeped in and misunderstands antisemitism.

“It erases Jewish peoplehood and perpetuates myths of Jewish whiteness, power, and that racism against Jews is not a major issue or that it’s a thing of the past.”

The letter goes on to point out that Jewish people are an ethnic group, rather than just a religion. “Jewish people being excluded from the Motion Picture Academy’s Representation and Inclusion Standards is discriminating against a protected class by invalidating their historic and genetic identity.”

The Academy’s diversity standards were first set out in 2020, and recognise a number of identities as “underrepresented,” including women, LGBTQ people, underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, or those with cognitive or physical disabilities.

As of this year, films will only be eligible to compete in the best picture category if one of the lead actors or a significant supporting actor is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.

The Academy has said that this includes actors who are Asian, Hispanic, Black, Indigenous, Native American, Middle Eastern, North African, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

“The absence of Jews from ‘under-represented’ groupings implies that Jews are over-represented in films, which is simply untrue,” the letter continues. “There are very few films about Jews, aside from ones about the Holocaust. Moreover, when Jewish characters are featured, they are often played by non-Jews, a rare practice for other marginalized groups.”

The letter concludes: “There is a duty for the entertainment world to do its part in disseminating whole and human depictions of Jews, to increase understanding and empathy in viewers in these dangerous times. We ask the Motion Picture Academy leadership to do its part in advancing a just cause that has been ignored for too long.”

Other notable signees include Ginnifer Goodwin, Tiffany Haddish, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Brett Gelman, Michael Rapaport, Iliza Schlesinger, Nancy Spielberg and Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman.