The Screen Actors Guild's (SAG) new report on television-and-film casting in 2002 shows small increases for minorities and women age 40 and over. The statistics have left the guild slightly gratified and yet hungry to improve the numbers.
The data -- which comes from producers' casting reports to SAG -- covers television and theatrical productions, but excludes commercials and animation work.
Figures showed both Latino and African-American performers gaining in jobs, with Latino roles rising by 379, up 1.2% from 2001's 4.8% of all parts cast. Black actors gained 39 roles, a rise to 15.5% from 14.4% the previous year. Asian-Pacific Islander roles remained at 2.5% of total jobs, while Native American roles saw a drop from 0.37% to 0.2%. These groups together received 24.2% of all roles cast, a rise from 22.1%.
Women 40 and over saw a 2% increase to 29% of all female roles. But the guild noted that, while women continue to make up the majority of Americans, they garnered only 38% of total roles, with men receiving 62%.
Melissa Gilbert, SAG's national president, called the study results "somewhat heartening," but she added, "We still have a long way to go. Asian and Native American performers are left behind yet again and producers still do not provide casting numbers for performers with disabilities.
"Despite these obstacles, Screen Actors Guild will continue to fight to gain access for all performers. We look forward to the day when all of the employment statistics truly reflect the American Scene in realistic and positive ways."
The Hard Numbers
While percentages provide a general view of whether numbers are rising or falling, it's the hard figures that really tell the tale.
For 2002, SAG's casting figures for all theatrical and TV production show guild members received 45,014 roles, with 27,881 going to males and 17,133 to females, with 4,852 of those going to women 40 and over, and 11,475 to men in that age range. Days worked totaled 235,532.
Of 18,544 lead roles, 10,890 went to males, 7,654 to females, with 1,895 to 40-and-over women and 4,287 to their male counterparts. Stats showed 16,991 males in supporting roles (including 7,188 men 40 and over), along with 9,479 females (2,957 women 40 and over), for a total of 26,470.
Most of the roles were cast in television, a total of 38,689, with 23,681 for males (9,674 men 40 and over), and 15,008 for females (4,249).
Theatrical production saw 6,325 total roles, with 4,200 to males (1,799 to men 40 and over) and 2,125 to females (603).
Of movies that grossed more than $10 million domestically over the past year, the number of films that featured a female lead increased 45% from 20 films in 2001 to 29 films in 2002, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
SAG also listed breakdowns on roles going to white actors and those of color. Of the total 45,014 roles, Caucasian actors took 33,144; African-Americans 6,994, and Latinos 2,685.
For feature films, of the 2,125 total roles, excluding animation, Caucasians held 1,542; African-Americans 328, and Latinos 121.
For combined episodic and non-episodic TV, excluding animation, Caucasians took 10,956 of the total 15,008 roles; African Americans 2,320, and Latinos 896.