Stars — Sexuality, Race and Sex — A Review of “Hollywood”
How this empowering seven-episode Netflix miniseries makes such a mark for marginalised people:
“If we can change the way that movies are made… I think you can change the world.”
Netflix’s 2020 miniseries “Hollywood” is a hidden gem among all other watered-down shows that drown out our Netflix home screens. “Hollywood” is personally one of the best miniseries, dare I say series that I have watched and re-watched, with its small, yet powerful feature.
This show outlines the determination of black, LGBT+ and female representation, proving to a hostile and discriminatory society everyone is owed equal opportunities, being entitled to the same praise and dreams as more privileged people.
It not only exhibits such a hopeful optimism of life, but has an amazing soundtrack, which pays homage to the music of this pre-1950s era, with jazz, swing and blues, (which has made me fall in love with this era of music) as well as the fashion, coupled with the warm aesthetic cinematography, which is what makes the show so wonderful and more deserving of recognition.
Written and directed by Ryan Murphy, creator of “Glee”, “Ratched” and “American Horror Story” with co-writer Ian Brennan, “Hollywood” is a ‘Social Issue TV Drama’, which portrays post-world-war-II 1950s life in Hollywood with many elements of the show being semi-biographical, loosely, or completely based predominantly around struggling marginalised actors and filmmakers, all wanting to “be somebody”.
The main protagonist is Jack (David Corenswet), an ex-soldier who has recently moved to California to support his wife and their unborn child, in the hopes of chasing his dream of becoming a movie star. Jack becomes increasingly frustrated in his in his futile attempts to get parts in movies as an extra, trying to work his way up, waiting at the gates of Ace Studios every morning.
Ernie (Dylan McDermott), a ’gas-station-brothel’ owner approaches Jack, offering him a job as a male prostitute to make ends meet, with employees servicing a variety of clients, including both men and women.
Along his unconventionally rocky journey to stardom, he meets the likes of other, more significantly struggling yet aspiring actors/filmmakers, including half-Filipino director Raymond Chandler (Darren Criss), gay actor Rock Hudson (Jake Picking), black, gay screenwriter Archie Coleman (Jeremy Pope)Asian actress Anna May Wong (Michelle Krusiec) and black female actress Camille Washington (Laura Harrier).
With a determination to make history with a risky but ground-breaking film titled ‘Meg’, these characters are faced with social dangers and barriers based on their own race, gender, and sexuality, however this would not discourage them from their motivations of achieving their dreams.
However, it was not this idea of chasing dreams that I adored most about this show, despite its thrilling nature. It was the real pain and suffering of the characters that stood out to me most. The fact these characters were either pushed to the side because they were ‘different’ or not within the patriarchal, hetero-normative/racial standard of society.
As someone who has felt ostracised from society because of my sexuality, I resonated with the sentiment of this show, especially with the two gay characters, Rock and Archie (who I ironically share the same name with). Hiding who you truly are has a detriment to your capabilities in life, questioning everything you do or say to meet what is expected of people and society.
Seeing gay representation, among other marginalised groups, truly highlights how important and historically relevant these moments are, no matter how far they were set in the past. It is the liberation from these character’s struggles that convey so much importance, because unfortunately these negative stigmas and fear of discrimination still exist today. While we have progressed a lot in 70 years, these issues are still apparent, which is why it is vital to be exposed to shows like this. As an audience, feeling empowered through marginalised characters for their achievements, there is encouragement to adopt this attitude into your own life, and if you have more privilege than some of these characters, to become educated and aware of their struggles too through shows like this…
