From Series to Film: How Netflix Is Advancing Diversity in Its Casting
Research on Netflix shows that its casts are now more diverse, bringing together a wider range of groups than films shown in theaters.
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Recent research on Netflix, which now offers greater diversity in its casting and brings together a wider range of groups than films shown in theaters, makes for interesting reading. It shows that Netflix has continued to develop its content over the past few years. According to 2023 research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Netflix has prioritized women's stories, while representation of Latino, LGBTQ+, and disabled people still needs to become more inclusive.
A focus on diversity that includes not only the cast but the crew as well
Shonda Rhimes, creator of "Bridgerton" and the upcoming series "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story," is known for creating on-screen stories that center women (especially women of color) and characters of every gender, race, ethnic identity, and sexual orientation.
Rhimes stresses that the production crew must be diverse too, not just the cast. "You look around and it's good that there are Black directors, Black writers, and Black actors, but beyond that, the entire crew still doesn't reflect the true diversity of people in the real world," Rhimes said during a virtual symposium.
The panel also included Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer; Scott Stuber, head of Netflix's film division; filmmaker Tyler Perry ("A Jazzman's Blues," "A Madea Homecoming"); and researcher Dr. Stacy Smith. "If you have a producer who understands what you feel, your crew will be an outstanding crew that can speak for the whole world perfectly. That is why production companies like Shondaland" matter.
Netflix has partnered on two DEIA initiatives
The Ladder program and the Producers Inclusion Initiative train people from historically underrepresented communities to become production professionals within the studio system. Both are part of Netflix's $100 million commitment to building diversity and inclusion through its Fund for Creative Equity, established in 2021.
"Bridgerton" Season 2 was the first official on-set pilot of the Ladder program, with six trainees on the set of "Queen Charlotte" in the United Kingdom. Shondaland and Netflix, with support from IATSE, will launch the Ladder program in the United States. This year, the upcoming series "The Residence" is also part of the initiative, selecting 13 trainees for production and technical roles across multiple departments.
The latest study from Dr. Smith and the USC research team on inclusion in Netflix's scripted films and series
From 2018 to 2021, the team examined 546 English-language original titles from Netflix (249 films and 297 series) to research and evaluate these projects. They were assessed using a comprehensive set of measures, including gender, race, and ethnicity (for both cast and behind-the-scenes crew), as well as LGBTQ+ and disability representation. The USC Annenberg team conducted its first study in 2019 and plans to carry out a comprehensive study every two years through 2026.
"We saw remarkable growth this year, which should serve as an example for the rest of the entertainment industry. Inclusion is possible, and it is necessary in order to reflect the world we live in," Dr. Smith said in a video presentation summarizing the research.
"However, it is essential to examine multiple identity groups separately in order to understand where progress has been made and where gains are still badly needed."
Dr. Smith highlighted five key findings from the study:
- Netflix achieved gender parity in leading roles across both films and series, with 55% of its content featuring women and girls as leads or co-leads, including supporting cast. This represented an increase of nearly 15% among the male creators and directors telling women-driven stories.
- The company promotes women leaders behind the camera at a higher rate than the industry average. Women of color as series directors rose from 5.6% in 2018 to 11.8% in 2021, and over the past four years Netflix hired 16 women of color to direct films, an equal number of whom were hired to direct top-grossing films over the past 16 years.
- Netflix's stories center people of color, representing Black, Asian, and multiracial groups in proportion to their share of the population, although representation of Latino characters remains below the population benchmark. Gaps still remain for Middle Eastern, North African, Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities. Looking at both lead actors and behind-the-scenes crew reveals shortcomings in access and opportunity. Women of color have played a significant role as leads, and have increased sharply as series directors, with writers and creators rising as well. In 2021, eight women of color worked as series creators, a share that rose from 3.9% in 2020 to 9.5%.
- Netflix's LGBTQ+ and disability representation still needs improvement. In 2021, 20.3% of leads or co-leads in Netflix films and series were LGBTQ+ characters, but more than half of its films and series (55.1%) had no LGBTQ+ speaking characters, even though those figures have declined over the past four years. Netflix has not yet reached proportional representation for LGBTQ+ people, and its portrayals still focus more on gay men than on the full range of LGBTQ+ identities.
This data gives Netflix an opportunity to amplify the voices of marginalized people, regardless of gender, race, or other forms of diversity. As a production company, it hopes that Perry and Rhimes will remain key drivers in creating future films and series. The company has therefore expanded its Emerging Filmmakers Initiative, launched in 2022, which supports short films by up-and-coming directors who still lack opportunity, particularly women and people of color, so that the content and experiences of diverse communities can be told directly and authentically.
Verified references
Links and relevance to the article’s main topic were reviewed on 13 August 2026. Each source supports only the scope stated in the original document and does not replace personalised medical, legal, or service advice.
- Netflix: Building a Legacy of Inclusion Accessed 13 August 2026
