Amazon Studios Quietly Steps Back From Diversity Goals Amid Trump DEI Crackdown
Amazon Studios is rolling back division-wide policies aimed at boosting diversity on its series and films.
The Culver City studio implemented in 2021 an inclusion playbook, with the goal of more accurately reflecting audiences worldwide. The standards revolved around boosting racial, ethnic and gender diversity, including one that aspired to cast at least one Black, Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern or Asian character for speaking roles.
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Other goals featured aiming for at least 30 percent of positions to be filled by women and people from underrepresented ethnic or racial groups, with plans to increase this to 50 percent last year; and casting actors whose identities match the characters they’re playing. In addition, productions were asked to seek bids from at least one woman-owned business and minority-owned business.
The inclusion playbook was removed from Amazon’s website in September and is no longer in effect.
“We’ve said from the beginning that our efforts to ensure diverse and inclusive storytelling would be fluid and change over time,” an Amazon Studios spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter when asked about the removal of the playbook. “We continue to evolve this vital work in concert with our commitment to keep our global audience of viewers at the center of everything we do. Above all, we strive to tell the very best stories, while empowering diverse voices in our storytelling wherever possible.”
The move aligns with companies rolling back DEI programs as the government campaigns against diversity initiatives. The day of his inauguration, Trump issued a sweeping executive order rolling back government DEI efforts. The Department of Justice said earlier this month that it would direct prosecutors to penalize and eliminate “illegal DEI” mandates across the private sector. Businesses have been navigating potential legal exposure, with several entirely withdrawing diversity programs and policies.
Disney, in its latest filing to regulators, scrubbed references to the “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative, which launched in 2021 with the purpose of amplifying underrepresented voices, and employee development programs for underrepresented talent, instead noting an existing initiative intended to hire military veterans. That pivot was outlined in a memo to employees sent Tuesday from chief human resources officer Sonia Coleman. It includes a new “talent strategy” factor to executive compensation planning that assesses how leaders “uphold our company values, incorporate different perspectives to drive business success, cultivate an environment where all employees can thrive, and sustain a robust pipeline to ensure long-term organizational strength.”
There are also plans to change content advisories implemented in 2020 on classic Disney animated and live-action titles, like Peter Pan, The Aristocats and Dumbo, according to a person familiar with the situation who notes that it will move from the beginning of movies to an informational tab. The notice states, “This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.”
Even before Trump took office, Disney, like most other companies, didn’t explicitly mention race in its DEI objectives in favor of “underrepresented backgrounds.” Concerns revolve around the possibility that these programs, including one requiring that at least half of producers and writing staff come from underrepresented groups, establish discriminatory hiring quotas.
Amazon Studios’ scrapping DEI goals on its site precedes its parent company removing references to “inclusion and diversity” in its annual report filed last week after it informed employees in December that it was rolling back such initiatives. The playbook was implemented as part of a larger effort in Hollywood to boost diversity among its ranks after the police killing of George Floyd, which sparked calls for companies to hire more minorities and women.
“With the establishment of our Inclusion Policy and Inclusion Playbook, Amazon Studios has committed itself to being a thought and action leader in the transformation of our industry,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, in a statement in 2021. “We know how much work there is to be done to improve representation both on camera and behind the scenes, and it starts at home, with us. With clear directives and a commitment to accountability, these guides provide a path toward a more equitable future, both on- and off-camera.”
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