Heard on the Street: Issa Rae says Hollywood is killing itself

“Now these conglomerate leaders are also making the decisions about Hollywood. Y’all aren’t creative people. Stick to the money. The people that are taking chances are on platforms like TikTok: that’s what’s getting the eyeballs of the youth. So you’re killing your own industry.”

– Issa Rae calls out media conglomerates that are focused on cutting costs rather than producing creative programming in TIME‘s cover profile “Issa Rae and Hollywood’s Unkept Promises” by Andrew R. Chow. The actress, writer, producer, and CEO of Hoorae is included on the magazine’s new “The Closers” list, which recognizes 18 leaders working to close the wealth gap. In the article, Rae discusses balancing her larger fight for equity with her creative and entrepreneurial desires. Although Rae’s projects have been dealt some cancellations lately, she’s seen projects dry up after working on them for years, and she has had to reevaluate whether “smaller, quieter projects” are feasible with the industry changes, she says she feels “secure” in her relationship with HBO, where she’s developing two new projects.

In addition to Issa Rae, TIME’s 2024 “The Closers” list also includes:

Adriana Barbosa, president and CEO of PretaHub

Angelica Ross, president of Miss Ross Inc. and founder of TransTech Social Enterprises

Arian Simone and Ayana Parsons, leaders at the Fearless Fund

Aurora James, designer and founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge

Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator

Cory Booker, U.S. Senator

Darrick Hamilton and William Darity, economists at the New School and Duke

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, chief of membership, policy and equity at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition

Erin Horne McKinney, national executive director of the Howard University and PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship

Imani Ellis, founder of CultureCon

John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation Hope