What DEI Rollbacks Mean for the Future of Hollywood
By Natalie Lifson, Agent Trainee and Executive Assistant at Buchwald; your Co-Editor-in-Chief at THA
By Matthew Threadgill, Assistant at Disney Branded Television; your Co-Head of Journalism at THA
As President Trump strong-arms entertainment companies into eliminating their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, assistants and other entry level entertainment professionals who belong to marginalized communities are placed at a particularly devastating disadvantage.
A lot of the programs and resources we utilize to help us break into and rise up in an industry that has historically been difficult for cultural minorities to thrive in are disappearing when we need them most.
DEI programs don’t take opportunities away from straight, cis white people - they uplift people from diverse backgrounds to put them on an even playing field and facilitate authenticity in diverse stories.
As we look at the path forward following these changes, we recognize the stark implications they have. Changes to hiring practices, storytelling, and workplace culture are still unfolding, however, one thing is clear— Hollywood’s formerly progressive relationship with DEI is turning around, and the impact will be felt far beyond corporate boardrooms.
What is going on?
His first two days back in office, President Trump signed 2 Executive Orders targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across various sectors, including the entertainment industry, claiming that they are discriminatory:
“Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing”
“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”
In addition to eliminating all federal DEI programs, he directed government agencies to pursue action against private companies that engage in “illegal private sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.”
CNN defines DEI as the following:
“Diversity is embracing the differences everyone brings to the table, whether those are someone’s race, age, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability or other aspects of social identity.
Equity is treating everyone fairly and providing equal opportunities.
Inclusion is respecting everyone’s voice and creating a culture in which people from all backgrounds feel encouraged to express their ideas and perspectives.”
Workplace DEI programs these Executive Orders threaten include:
Diversity and Bias Trainings to ensure discrimination-free work environments
Employee Resource Groups that offer community, career development opportunities, and advocacy.
Ex. NBC’s “Women’s Inclusion Network,” “My Abilities Network” for employees with disabilities, and “Black Employee Network.”
Educational, Mentorship, and Fellowship Programs
Ex. Diverse writers room programs by Sony, Paramount, Netflix, and more.
Ex. “Women in Entertainment” conferences
Recruitment and Hiring Practices
Ex. Diverse interview panels to combat implicit biases when hiring
Ex. Recruiting from diverse colleges and professional associations
How does this affect the entertainment industry?
One of the government agencies targeting private companies with DEI initiatives is the Federal Communications Commission (the FCC), which is responsible for enforcing government laws and regulations related to radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The FCC is empowered to dole out massive fines, restrictions on operations, loss of licenses, and more to violators.
In response to these new anti-DEI Executive Orders, FCC Chairman Brandon Carr, who began this role on January 20th after being appointed by President Trump, asserted his commitment to pursuing transgressors:
“Thankfully, President Trump has taken quick and decisive action to root out the scourge of DEI. The FCC will be taking steps to ensure that every company the FCC regulates complies with the civil rights protections enshrined in the Communications Act and agency rules.”
On Tuesday, February 11th, Carr notified Comcast that the FCC will be investigating them and their subsidiary NBCUniversal for failing to terminate their DEI initiatives and employee trainings and for continuing to promote DEI as “a core value of [their] business,” accusing them of violating “FCC regulations and civil rights laws.”
Brendan Carr explained that he is targeting Comcast in particular because in addition to their open disregard of the new anti-DEI guidelines, they cover most sectors the FCC has jurisdiction over and will therefore set various precedents.
In response, Comcast made the following public statement while continuing to promote their DEI initiatives:
“We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the FCC to answer their questions. For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.” -Comcast spokesperson Sena Fitzmaurice
In order to avoid repercussions from the FCC, various companies in the entertainment industry have scaled back, eliminated, or renamed their DEI programs. These companies include:
Disney: scrapped their “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative to “amplify underrepresented voices,” renamed “Diversity & Inclusion” to “Talent Strategy.”
“What won’t change is our commitment to fostering a company culture where everyone belongs and everyone can excel.” -Disney HR Chief Sonia Coleman
Amazon Studios: removed their “Inclusion Playbook” and DEI goals from their website
“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.”
PBS: shut down their DEI office and laid off 2 DEI executives
“We were committed to telling the stories of all Americans before we had an office, and will continue to do it afterwards." -PBS CEO Paula Kerger
Google: eliminated DEI training programs
“Our values are enduring, but we have to comply with legal directions depending on how they evolve.” -Google CEO Sundar Pichai
Like Comcast, Apple (the world’s most valuable company at $3.7 trillion, who can afford to reject these demands) reaffirmed their commitment to DEI:
“At Apple, we believe that how we conduct ourselves is as critical to Apple’s success as making the best products in the world. We seek to conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and our Business Conduct and Compliance policies are foundational to how we do business. And we strive to create a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.”
What does it mean?
Equality has always been an issue in Hollywood, where systemic bias, nepotism, and exclusionary hiring practices have historically shaped who gets a seat at the table. After all, that’s why we, The Hollywood Assistant, exist - “to build community, increase accessibility, and fight for equity in entry-level entertainment.”
In recent years, movements like #OscarsSoWhite and #TimesUp have driven meaningful change, forcing studios to reckon with their biases. The rollback of DEI initiatives threatens to erase hard-fought progress in an industry that has long favored white, straight, and well-connected individuals, both in front of and behind the scenes.
It’s important to note that these rollbacks didn’t just begin following Trump’s executive orders. Rather, it’s been a gradual change. Throughout 2023 and 2024, DEI executives and departments were the first to be slashed as media corporations adjusted to industry’s many economic challenges. “Across the board, everyone has been suffering,” TV writer and filmmaker Thembi Banks told Vanity Fair. “But there’s that old adage: ‘When white America has a cold, Black America has the flu.’” DEI was only important for a moment. We’re simply witnessing an acceleration of a retreat that’s long been in motion.
What does it mean for Next Generation Hollywood?
These changes are frightening for entertainment professionals of marginalized backgrounds, and as breaking into the industry becomes increasingly difficult, it’s particularly concerning for assistants. Without the access to dominant social circles, financial stability, and systemic advantages their privileged counterparts have, assistants of marginalized backgrounds must navigate alternative pathways to break into entertainment and consistently over perform just to be seen as equally competent by their white superiors.
DEI programs have provided these assistants with crucial resources, mentorship, and hiring pipelines to help them counteract the structural barriers that make career progression difficult. It’s an elementary lesson in social justice, yet Trump’s orders require us to revisit what should already be understood. In Hollywood’s difficult job landscape for assistants, it’s horrifying that marginalized assistants may have to fight even harder for a fair shot at a place in the industry.
And even for those who do manage to break in, the ways these rollbacks will shape work environments will diminish the voices of marginalized assistants, which are so often necessary to the creative side of our work. POC and LGBTQ+ assistants know the experience– a white superior is reading a script about BIPOC characters or a straight agent is watching a self-tape centering around queerness and they just…don’t get it. It’s in these moments that we may step in to correct some missteps and advocate for authenticity. I’m sure many POC and LGBTQ+ assistants can attest to the fact that DEI initiatives have helped us feel empowered to speak up– people were supposed to be listening. Without DEI systems in place, people will feel less comfortable speaking up to superiors and, ultimately, authenticity in Hollywood’s stories will suffer.
In Conclusion…
The unraveling of DEI in Hollywood marks a pivotal moment in the industry’s ongoing struggle with equity and inclusion. The impact on hiring practices, workplace culture, and creative authenticity remain to be seen. But as we watch these changes take shape overtime, it is important that we document the impact and push back where we can. The fight for equity in Hollywood isn’t over; it’s just reverting to an age-old chapter, where silence is complicity and staying vigilant is survival.
