UCLA Report Shows Streaming Film Diversity Plummeting as Trump Administration Targets DEI

A new UCLA report reveals a significant decline in diversity among streaming films released in 2025, with representation of women and people of color dropping substantially across both on-screen and behind-the-scenes roles. The Hollywood Diversity Report, published by UCLA's Institute for Entertainment and Media Research Initiative, analyzed 89 English-language streaming original films released on major platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu, documenting troubling downward trends that reverse years of industry progress.

The data shows stark decreases in minority representation across multiple categories. The share of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) leading actors fell to 36 percent in 2025, down sharply from 51 percent in 2024. Behind the camera, BIPOC directors declined to 31.5 percent from 41 percent, while BIPOC writers dropped to 21.3 percent from 30 percent. Women also experienced significant setbacks, with their share of lead roles falling to 58 percent from 61 percent, and women directors declining to 23.6 percent from 28 percent. Women writers remained relatively stable at 37 percent.

The timing of this diversity decline coincides with President Donald Trump's aggressive campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. On his first day in his second term, Trump signed an executive order ending DEI programs in federal government, followed by additional orders targeting DEI initiatives among federal contractors and in the private sector. His Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr signaled that companies' DEI practices could affect their merger approvals. In response, major media companies including Disney have scaled back their diversity efforts.

Report co-author Ana-Christina Ramón warned that diversity is expected to decline further as projects produced during Trump's second term reach audiences. While many films analyzed in this year's report were developed before Trump's return to office, they reflect an early wave of conservative backlash against DEI initiatives. The shift carries particular weight given streaming's dominance in American entertainment consumption, with 96.4 million households using streaming devices and Nielsen reporting that streaming accounted for roughly 48 percent of TV viewing in March 2025, compared with 20 percent for broadcast and 21 percent for cable.

The report underscores a reversal of years of progress driven by industry campaigns like #OscarsSoWhite, which had successfully pushed Hollywood toward recognizing both the moral and financial benefits of diverse hiring practices. The data suggests that political pressure against DEI initiatives may prove more consequential to media representation than previous industry momentum, raising questions about entertainment diversity in the coming years.