Eva Longoria Doesn’t Think Hollywood Has an ‘Evil Agenda’ When It Comes to Diversity: There Aren’t ‘Studio Execs in a Tower Saying, “I Don’t Want to Hire People of Color”’

variety.com:

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor A champion for diversity within the American film industry, multi-hyphenate Eva Longoria said she doesn’t think there is “an evil agenda” when it comes to major studios shunning minority creatives.

Speaking at the Red Sea Film Festival, the director said that she doesn’t believe “there are studio execs in a tower saying, ‘I don’t want to hire people of color.’ They hire people who they worked with their entire lives.

If they worked with Tom, Bob and Frank, they are going to hire Tom, Bob and Frank.” The accomplished creative is also an activist, having championed Latino voices throughout her work — including having all Latino heads of department in her feature debut “Flamin’ Hot” — and founding The Eva Longoria Foundation 15 years ago to help “help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship.” “I started the foundation because I was getting so many requests from numerous charities but I wasn’t making a difference in any particular cause,” she recalled of her motivation at the time. “I knew I wanted to help women and Latinas specifically because these are the women I grew up with, so we started the charity so women could reach their full potential and have economic freedom and independence.” “When I read a script, it is clear to me very quickly if I want to direct or be in it: does it say something?

Does it have a cultural or female perspective that we need to hear and see? I look for things that I can produce with purpose,” she added of her work as a producer.