Part 8/13:
A substantial portion of the conversation tackles societal issues—race relations, war, politics, and community neglect. Roy discusses how Hollywood’s portrayals of civil rights struggles often rely on stereotypes, especially white villains or saviors. He proposes that compelling civil rights movies require nuanced, often uncomfortable but truthful, storytelling—especially concerning white complicity and villainy.
He delves into how Hollywood’s tendency to depict white characters as villains or saviors is a reflection of societal power dynamics, and how movies like Mississippi Burning or Malcolm X serve as archetypes. The challenge, Roy asserts, is to balance storytelling without reinforcing stereotypes, a skill he aims to hone through research and performance.