The killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement awakened the creator of the Frendit series to consider diversity.
The Frendit series was shown in 1994-2004. AOP
Creator of Frendit series Marta Kauffman65, regrets that the series was not more diverse.
The Frendit series was shown in 1994-2004.
– I have learned a lot in the last 20 years, Kauffman commented to the Los Angeles Times this week.
He has pledged four million dollars to Brandeis University’s Department of African and African-American Studies in response to criticism the Frendit series has faced for its lack of diversity.
Kauffman says he feels guilty about the series’ lack of pluralism. Today, he thinks that the criticism on the subject is ‘fair’. Previously, he had not been able to understand it in the same way.
For Kauffman, the turning point in becoming aware of the issue was being dark-skinned George Floyd killing in 2020 and the worldwide Black Lives Matter protest movement that started from it. Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis.
In this context, Kauffman perceived the existence of systematic racism in a way that he had not previously been aware of.
– At that moment I started to think about the ways in which I had participated in it and I knew that I had to correct my direction, says Kauffman.
After this, he decided to make a donation to his former scholarship at Brandeis University in Boston.
He hopes that the donation will help hire more researchers and teachers and provide additional resources for new study opportunities.
– The feedback has been great, Kauffman says about the reception of the donation.
– I have received so much love. A flood of messages, all showing support, he adds.
Frendit series writer Marta Kauffman says that in the future she will pay more attention to diversity in her work. Barry King / Alamy Stock Photo, AOP
Kauffman says that in the future, he will pay attention to hiring people of color and actively follows young screenwriters of color.
Today there would be diversity
Last year, Kauffman and his Frendit series screenwriting colleagues David Crane and producer Kevin Bright67, said that if Friends were made now, it would be different.
– If we were to make Friends today, no, I don’t think all the roles would be Caucasian, Bright said.
According to him, the six main roles today would have diversity and many things in a different way.
– We would be so aware, he added.
Kauffman and Bright add that it was not the original plan or goal that all six main roles would be played by Caucasians.
– The chemistry between these six actors made the difference, says Bright.
– During the auditions, we met applicants of all colors and representing different religions, he adds.
– Being white was not a conscious choice.
According to Bright, the roles developed as the writers were inspired by the candidate actors, such as their voices and chemistry with each other.
The Frendit series starred Actors Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. They portrayed young people in their twenties who lived in a shared apartment in New York.
The return of Friends was shown on HBO Nordic last year. HBO NORDIC
Source: People