Lost star says there's been "some progress" since diversity concerns on show
"Progress comes slowly, but you have to admit when there is progress."
Lost star Harold Perrineau has opened up about the "progress" that's been made in the TV industry and society after his diversity concerns about the series.
The actor, who starred as Michael Dawson in the iconic series, and who now leads the ensemble cast of MGM+ hit From, previously shared various diversity concerns about his time on Lost, including saying that his white co-stars were handed better storylines and alleging that he was fired after asking for his character Michael to have “equal depth” compared to the other characters on the show.
Two decades after Lost began, Perrineau has said that "some progress" has been made when it comes to diversity in TV - but that progress is slow.
He exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "Industry-wise, societally speaking, there's always a little bit of progress.
"Progress comes slowly, but you have to admit when there is progress. And so yes, I do feel like there certainly is a bit of progress. Is it all the progress we need? It isn't all there, but there is some."
Perrineau added of the cast of From: "It's really nice to see this cast with lots of different people, different shades, different backgrounds, different sexual orientations, all get a chance to shine as human beings, not just in some niche of like, 'This is how gay people act,’ ‘This is how Black people act.'
"In this circumstance [the show From], where none of that actually matters, the only thing that matters is life and death and how you survive it as a human being. I think the show does a really great job of doing that and, in that, that's progress.
"You're not confronted with these stereotypes of people. You're confronted with people who are confronted with life or death."
Perrineau previously said in TV critic Maureen Ryan's 2023 book, titled, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, that he joined the cast of Lost because he thought the story crafted was "really equitable" and highlighted all of the characters. That was until he noticed Michael not being featured as prominently as other characters.
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He said in the book: “It became pretty clear that I was the Black guy. Daniel [Dae Kim] was the Asian guy. And then you had Jack and Kate and Sawyer." Jack, Kate and Sawyer were played by Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly and Josh Holloway respectively.
Perrineau alleged that, when he brought his concerns to a producer on the show, the producer replied that Lost fans found Jack, Kate and Sawyer to be “relatable”.
Both showrunners of Lost, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, responded to allegations made in Ryan's book at the time.
Speaking about Perrineau, Lindelof acknowledged that there was a discrepancy in screen time given to white actors, adding: “Every single actor had expressed some degree of disappointment that they weren’t being used enough...
"That was kind of part and parcel for an ensemble show, but obviously there was a disproportionate amount of focus on Jack and Kate and Locke and Sawyer – the white characters. Harold was completely and totally right to point that out. It’s one of the things that I’ve had deep and profound regrets about in the two decades since.”
He also said in 2021: “My level of fundamental inexperience as a manager and a boss, my role as someone who was supposed to model a climate of creative danger and risk-taking but provide safety and comfort inside of the creative process – I failed in that endeavour.
Cuse denied that Perrineau was fired and said the actor was switched from being a main cast member to a recurring role.
He said in a written statement at the time of the allegations: “It’s deeply upsetting to know that there were people who had such bad experiences. I did not know people were feeling that way. No one ever complained to me, nor am I aware that anybody complained to ABC Studios. I wish I had known. I would have done what I could to make changes.”
RadioTimes.com has contacted ABC and reps for Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse for further comment.
Lost is available to watch on Disney Plus.
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