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Hollywood’s Diversity Villain & Streaming’s Insidious Bill

News and notes on two legal developments likely to spoil Christmas in Hollywood: the potential mandate of Trump’s new D.E.I. antagonist at D.O.J. and a bipartisan bill that could cause real headaches for the streamers.

Harmeet Dhillon
Under Dhillon’s watch, expect the spotlight to shift to scrutinizing race-conscious employment practices, specifically corporate D.E.I. commitments. Photo: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Eriq Gardner
December 18, 2024

When she won her Oscar in 2018, Frances McDormand perfectly captured the zeitgeist with an acceptance speech that concluded, “I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider.” Back then, of course, Hollywood was the epicenter of resistance: to Donald Trump, to sexual harassment, to the lack of race and gender diversity in entertainment. Hashtags like #MeToo and #OscarsSoWhite were buzzing on Twitter, a platform Elon Musk had not yet colonized. McDormand’s proclamation seemed to crystallize the beginning of a new, hopeful commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Today, as Trump prepares to return to office, I wonder what would happen if an actress repeated those words so publicly.