Halle Berry Refuses To Skip Black Journalists Who Her Publicist Said That She Didn’t Have Time For
Halle Berry is currently on a press run for her new upcoming movie, John Wick that opens in theaters this weekend, and the actress is currently buzzing for more than just her role.
People are applauding Berry for refusing to skip interviews with two black journalists on the red carpet, who her publicist said that she didn’t have time for.
Where Is The Buzz TV‘s Emerald Marie, a reporter, was one of the two black journalists who were covering the premiere of John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum.
Marie, who was excited to interview the iconic actress, was abruptly cut off by Berry’s publicist, so she took to Instagram to share her experience.
“I can’t skip my brother and sister,” Berry said, according to Marie.
Unfortunately, what transpired is common for black journalists and reporters.
“Oftentimes, black reporters and black outlets are pushed to the end and unable to get the proper interview that they need,” Marie explained in her Instagram post.
Marie said that she now has “newfound respect” for Berry.
The other journalist who was initially blown off was Lamar Dawson, and he gave a statement to Vibe magazine.
“Emerald and I were standing next to each other on the carpet and were discussing how too often Black reporters are skipped at these events–and then it nearly happened to us. It’s a big issue that needs to be addressed. Our stories deserve to be told, too,” Dawson said.
“When Halle came back, I was able to talk to her quickly about her show ‘Boomerang’ and how important it is for the show to feature Black, LGBTQ storylines–an interview question the mainstream outlets aren’t going to ask, thus underscoring the importance of diversity in newsrooms and the importance of outlets that seek to give a voice to marginalized people. I’m grateful for Halle for seeing us out there.”
Berry recently did an interview on the red carpet with another black journalist where she talked about why she stopped for Marie and Dawson, and according to Berry it’s just who she is. The actress said that she spoke to everyone else, so, she reasoned, why wouldn’t she talk to them (Check out the interview above that Dawson shared on his Instagram page.).
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
