The Representation of Race and Ethnicity in Modern Cinema: A Critical Study of Hollywood's Racial Dynamics

Abstract

Racial and ethnic representation in modern cinema plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of identity, power, and social belonging. This study critically examines patterns of racial and ethnic representation in contemporary Hollywood films using a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative content analysis with qualitative critical discourse analysis. Drawing on a large corpus of films spanning multiple decades, the research analyzes casting composition, screen-time allocation, narrative agency, stereotypical portrayals, genre variation, and industry participation. The findings reveal persistent structural inequalities in representation, characterized by the dominance of White-centered narratives, limited agency afforded to minority characters, and the continued circulation of racial stereotypes despite gradual improvements over time. Quantitative results further demonstrate uneven progress across genres and award recognition categories, as well as weak alignment between industry diversity policies and actual representational outcomes. Audience reception and sentiment analysis indicate increasing awareness of representational disparities, though such awareness has yet to translate into systemic change. By providing empirically grounded evidence across multiple dimensions of cinematic production and reception, this study contributes to media studies and critical race scholarship by illuminating how Hollywood continues to negotiate, resist, and occasionally transform racial representation in the twenty-first century.