The Problem With Hollywood's Token Black Characters

In an effort to appear diverse and culturally aware, TV and movie directors will occasionally throw in a single Black character with no substantial personality traits, relationships, or narrative of their own.

Hollywood often attempts to appear diverse and inclusive by adding a single Black character to their films or TV shows. However, these characters are often poorly developed and serve only to support the white lead. This practice, known as tokenization, is harmful and fails to provide meaningful representation.

Black children, in particular, are left with these half-hearted attempts at inclusion as their primary cultural representation. These characters lack depth, relationships, and personal narratives, embodying the harmful stereotype of the Black sidekick.

For instance, Gabrielle Union's roles in Ten Things I Hate About You and She's All That are classic examples of tokenization. Her characters, Chastity and Katie, respectively, serve as best friends to the white leads, yet the audience knows nothing about their interests, hobbies, or families.

Another example is Hallie, Sydney Prescott's supposed best friend in Scream 2, who joins the entirely white cast despite being notably absent in the first film. Her addition, for no apparent narrative reason, is another instance of tokenization.

Even Gen Z favorites, like High School Musical, are not immune to this lazy attempt at diversity. Chad and Taylor, the Black best friends of Gabriella and Troy, respectively, add minimal value to the plot and serve primarily to assist their white friends.

Perhaps the most glaring example is Louise, Carrie's Black personal assistant in the film edition of Sex and the City. Despite the show's six seasons featuring almost no people of color, Carrie suddenly hires a Black assistant for the movie. Played by Jennifer Hudson, Louise offers sage wisdom at critical junctures in Carrie's life, but her own personal details are revealed in only small doses.

In predominantly white spaces, like a Vancouver suburb or a university, Black individuals often experience the pressure of being the sole member of their race in the room. Tokenizing Black characters on screen, with only white people to accompany them, reinforces the harmful idea that these singular characters, based solely on stereotypes, represent an entire diverse and complex race of people.

Moreover, token Black characters often embody a racial stereotype, which is then imposed on the entire community, causing more harm than good.

One frustrating aspect of this trope is the narrative potential that these token characters possess. For instance, Dionne in Clueless is a charming and funny character, an instant fan favorite. However, without a proper storyline outside of her relationship and her role as the lead's ever-present wingwoman, the audience is deprived of what could have been a fully realized character.

Besides poor representation, tokenization also limits the opportunities for talented Black actors, who are often forced into poorly written roles as their only entry point into the industry. To improve this situation, we need more diversity in the predominantly white field of screenwriting and greater thoughtfulness and precision in writing Black characters.

Fortunately, the ability to write compelling characters does exist, and it's time for directors and screenwriters to apply it equally to all cast members. A good example is Eric from Sex Education, a well-rounded character who happens to be Black, not the other way around. This is likely due to Sex Education having a more diverse writing room than the typical Netflix original. Another excellent example is Mary Lamb in The Holdovers, a complex and engaging Black character who contributes meaningfully to the narrative.

Tokenization is not only poor representation but also harmful and degrading to an entire race. Directors and screenwriters must provide the same care and attention to detail to Black characters as they do to white characters. Shows and movies will ultimately be better for it.