10 of the Most Innovative Black Creatives in Hollywood Right Now
Jordan Peele
Jordan Peele is an Academy Award-winning writer, director, and producer, best known for creating the horror films Get Out and Us. Get Out earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, making him the first African American to ever win in that category. His other notable works include the television series revival of the Twilight Zone, The Last O.G., and the last year’s film thriller Nope.
Peele has been an influential voice in Hollywood, bringing attention to the lack of diversity and representation of people of color in media. With his production company Monkeypaw Productions, he has become one of Time Magazine’s most influential people in the world. He is a leader in the industry, inspiring other black creators to tell stories that matter.
Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen is an English film director, producer, and screenwriter
renowned for his award-winning films, such as 12 Years a Slave, Hunger, and
Shame. His most recent work, the 2019 heist movie Widows, was the first movie with a
predominantly black ensemble cast released by a major Hollywood studio in over two decades.
Thanks to his accomplishments, McQueen has become a major figure in Hollywood,
advocating for more black representation in the film and television industry. He has inspired many
black filmmakers to tell stories that are meaningful and to fight for their rightful representation
in the industry. Currently, McQueen is working on Blitz and Occupied City which
are in production and post-production respectively.
Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer is an Academy Award-winning actress best known for her
incredible performances in the films The Help and Hidden Figures. She has been a shining light in
Hollywood, becoming the first African American actress to be nominated for three Academy Awards, and
winning one for her unforgettable performance in The Help. Spencer is an ardent supporter of more
representation of black people in the media and has vocally stood up in support of the
#BlackLivesMatter movement.
She is a beacon of encouragement to many young black actors,
inspiring them to never give up on their dreams, drawing on her own origin story in acting.
Spencer's incredible talent and unwavering commitment to justice have been a source of real
motivation for the younger generation of black actors. Though a decorated actress, in more recent
years, she has been dabbling in production with The Bobby Love Story, an upcoming TV series with
Spencer as an Executive Producer is her latest project.
Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor, best
known for his stellar performances in the films Moonlight, Green Book, and
Hidden Figures. His amazing talent and presence on the screen has been recognized by many,
with him becoming the first Muslim to gain an Academy Award in an acting category; a remarkable
achievement that has made him a major figure in Hollywood.
Moreover, he has become an
important voice for black representation in the industry, taking a strong stance in support of
increased diversity in media. He speaks out against inequality and prejudice, striving for a more
equal and accepting world for everyone.
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is an Academy Award-winning actor, best known for his
roles in the films Glory, Malcolm X, Training Day, and Fences.
He is one of the most successful and acclaimed actors in Hollywood, becoming the first African
American to win two Academy Awards in consecutive years.
Washington has been a major
figure in the industry and become one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood. Washington's
immense talent and dedication to justice have been a source of real inspiration for the younger
generation of black actors.