In recent years, the debate regarding accurate and authentic representation has dominated stage and screen casting. ‘Colourblind casting’ was the first solution offered, whereby productions cast actors irrespective of ethnicity. This approach soon included gender and sexual identity, with the aim being to open every role to all.
Martin Vaughan, Head of Casting at the behemoth SIDE Global, spoke to this from the figurative other side of the table. ‘It used to be extremely rare that lead characters strayed from a certain type, which was usually white and male,’ he said. ‘Diversity was usually broader and less nuanced in its representation too, and while those elements haven’t completely gone away, it’s encouraging that a lot of developers want to do something different.’
