Larenz Tate Says Hollywood Values Black British Actors Over Black American Actors (Watch)

May 7, 2023

Larenz Tate is interviewed on the Earn Your Leisure podcast (YouTube Screenshot)

*Larenz Tate shares his opinion about the debate over Black British actors landing plush roles in American film and television.

Appearing on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, the “Power Book II: Ghost” star was asked about the stateside success of British stars like Idris Elba, Damson Idris, Daniel Kaluuya, and John Boyega in what hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings called the “British invasion.” They suggest that it has caused a “decline” in in the influence of the Black American male actor.

“I don’t look at it as a competition. I look at the collective,” Tate began. “There’s brothers who are doing it, whether they’re doing it here in America, whether they are doing it, you know over, from the U.K. or even from the mother continent, Africa. I’m cool with whatever it’s gonna be.”

However, “I feel like Hollywood believes there’s more value in British Black actors than they do in Black actors,” Tate continued. “And I think a part of it goes into, that ‘Oh, they have an audience over there, so they translate internationally.’ Going back to that, what I think is, you know, a hoax. That we don’t sell or we don’t, we’re not valuable. So, I think they put that in the mix. Also, I think that Hollywood is in love with the U.K. and all things British. I feel like the Black American actor, is, you know, I see what that decline is. But, you know, we’re here.”