I think Australia focuses on people that had a big start at home, like 'Home and Away' or 'Neighbours' graduates, and the truth is those shows are pretty white for the most part. The diverse actors go straight to the States because that is where more diverse stories and opportunities are being presented.
I think diverse stories are just stories. I don't think 'diverse' is an add-on package. Things that are not diverse are weird because that's not accurate.
I try to widen the horizons of every child I meet, and part of that is promoting diverse forms, be it graphic novels, stories told in a narrative voice, or more translated books, as well as more diverse writers and more diverse characters.
I am Indian, and my home is Kampala. My world is already diverse. But films are financed by those who want to see themselves on screen, and it is a white male world. Still, it does feel like America is waking up. Let's hope it's the start of an avalanche.
We made a commitment to making diverse stories with diverse characters brought to life by diverse artists.
There's a lot of great writing, and characters, and stories being told in television nowadays. And much more than there used to be. The opportunities to tell stories, because of the opportunities to show content. And so it's drawing actors from cinema, movie actors, actors to where there's a lot of opportunities to where you can tell stories.
Home is essentially a set of values you carry around with you and, like a turtle or a snail or whatever, home has to be something that is part of you and can be equally a part of you wherever you are. I think that not having a home is a good inducement to creating a metaphysical home and to being able to see it in more invisible ways.
Once you've had a real taste of touring it's like, "Okay, it's pretty amazing that we have real fans and we can go out and play shows," but you start to feel a personal need, like, "Okay, I think it's time to go home for a minute."
Australia isn't the most diverse place when it comes to media and advertising. I literally had no one to look at on TV other than Beyonce and Rihanna - and I definitely do not look like those amazing women.
I think as you have a more diverse group of people working in the industry, you automatically have more diverse storytelling. That's definitely to be celebrated for sure.
All the excuses that people in power used to make for not telling diverse stories or including diverse people, they've proven to be false.
I would like to champion diverse forms like graphic novels and works told in verse and diverse writers and illustrators and diverse authors as well.
It's hard because you can't legislate creative diversity. I think it's more that the gaming community's more diverse, and they're going to ask for more diverse experiences. They're going to demand them.
The best innovation comes from inclusive work environments that foster diverse ideas, nurture people with diverse talent and backgrounds, and create strong relationships with diverse communities.
A lot of people ask me, when I mention I'm from Australia, that I must have been on 'Home And Away,' and I tell them was one of the few who didn't take that route. That's because I auditioned for 'Home And Away,' and I didn't get booked, so you'd call that a knock back.
The most important part of aligning various expectations is to clearly describe the problem you are trying to solve and identify at least three different ways diverse users experience this problem. The more diverse your team, the better you'll be at doing this.
What I love about the sci-fi community is that it's the most nonjudgmental, inclusive, diverse environment in the country. There's no group of people that is more diverse and inclusive.